The second chance
by MyMerryMen
Summary: It's Christmas and Steph is left behind in Trenton while Ranger is in the wind. She takes it very hard and misses him terribly. Incited by Tank Steph writes Ranger a letter telling him how much she really loves him in the hope of finally getting her someday. All the while Ranger is in mortal danger and it causes him to take stock of his life. This is a Babe story with a HEA.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich._**

**_A/N: Hey there. I'm in the middle of writing the sequel to A Life Worth Loving and needed a little break so I thought to give you all a little Christmas present. This will be a short story, just a few chapters, but I hope I'll make the Babes happy. Merry Christmas to everybody!_**

**_This story isn't beta'ed and something tells me that it's not my best work grammar-wise so please be gracious and bear with me._**

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 1**

**December 23****rd****, two o'clock in the afternoon**

Steph looked out of her living room window and sighed deeply. The rooftops of the surrounding houses, the trees, the cars in the parking lot, the street, everything was covered with snow. And we're not talking slush here. It was the real thing, a firm layer of solid white frosty magic. And to top it off, thick snowflakes were silently floating through the air towards the ground adding to the winter wonderland impression. Every other year she would have felt giddy over the opportunity of a white Christmas. She'd spend her time at the mall doing her Christmas shopping and would drive over to Val to help her nieces decorate Christmas cookies. She'd meet with friends, mooch dinners at her parent's, and spread the Christmas spirit at Rangeman. This year, however, she felt a heavy weight on her shoulders. No joy or anticipation was filling her; every day it was a new challenge to stand up, shower and tackle the day. Sixteen days. That's how long Ranger had been gone. Sixteen days and nights filled with dread and anxiety that he might not return.

_"__This one will be tough, Babe. I want you to know that, no matter the qualifier, I love you, always have, always will, and should something happen to me I made sure in my last will and testament that you'll be financially cared of and won't have to worry about a thing for the rest of your life."_

_"__Ranger, what are you talking about? Of course you'll come back. You are batman."_

She remembered him chuckling as he was sitting on the edge of her bed and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face.

_"__As much as I've always loved you seeing me as some kind of superhero, I'm not. I'm just a man, Babe, and I'm mortal."_

His words had frightened her. There was so much absoluteness, so much closure to them. As though Ranger had already made peace with the fact that he won't return. When he finally leaned down and kissed her tenderly on her lips it didn't help with the dread growing in her. The kiss had been sweet and filled with love, sorrow and sadness. It had been a kiss goodbye.

Wiping away the tear that had stolen its way down her cheek, Steph came back to her task at hand. She needed to light a new candle for Ranger. She had promised him to always keep a light on for him so should he get lost, all he had to do was looking for the candle burning in her window and he'd find his way home. Of course it was meant figuratively, but it was her hope that he'd draw strength from the thought in the dark days and nights ahead of him. Pulling the small stump of the still burning candle from the big lantern on the window sill, she lit a new one and placed it on the plate in the middle before closing the glass door. It would burn nonstop for three days and nights until it was time to replace it with another one. Not one second would her window be without the warming flickering of a candle flame. Letting it go out, even if it was just for a moment, would feel like letting Ranger down, giving him a reason to give up on himself. He had to come back or she'd be forever lost. She was in love with him, had been for a long time, but he couldn't or wouldn't reciprocate her feelings, always keeping himself on the frindge of her life. It didn't matter. You couldn't control whom your heart fell for and she would take whatever Ranger was willing to offer her. Turning around to the ringing of her phone in the kitchen, Steph blew out the flame of the stump in her hand and walked over to where her cell phone lay.

"Hello?"

"Hey Steph, this is Conny. Business is slow so Lula and I just decided that we are in the mood for some Christmas shopping at the mall. Do you want to join us?"

In the background Steph could hear Lula shouting something about her better getting her ass over to them or else they would come and drag her out of her apartment.

"Thanks Conny, but I'm really not in the mood."

"Steph, what's going on? You never say no when there's a chance to hit Macy's. For the past two weeks you've been mopey. You're coming to the office every day to bring donuts, but it's as though you aren't really with us."

"It's nothing, Conny. I'm just in a funk because Ranger is in the wind."

"All the more reason to come with us. You need a change of scenery."

There was the sound of a scuffle and suddenly Lula was on the phone.

"Yo, skinny ass white girl. Yo better gonna get yo ass up and come over here. Now. Yo need Christmas spirit and Lula knows 'xactly what to do."

"Listen Lula, I know you and Conny mean well, but I'm really not in the mood-"

"Nonsense," Lula interrupted her. "We go shopping and yo feel better."

"No. Lula, I'm serious. I won't go," Steph bit back with her temper flaring. "Why can't you just once accept my decision? Now give me Conny."

"Geez, no need to get huffy with yo friends."

Lula sounded miffed, but there wasn't much that Steph could do about it. She was off her game and for the first time meeting with her friends didn't sound like something she could handle.

"Steph? This is Conny again."

"Listen, I'm sorry for letting you two down but as I tried to tell Lula I really don't feel like leaving my apartment."

"It's okay, honey. Just call if you need a little company and we'll come over to you."

Steph promised to do that and then said goodbye. She'd just laid her phone back down on the kitchen counter when it rang again. A look at the display had the corners of her mouth twitch up into a small smile.

"Hey Tank."

"Little girl. It's so good to hear your voice. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"Nah, don't lie to me, Steph. The times you've been over here since Ranger left I can count on one hand and when you were here, you looked sad and lost. Tell me what's going on, little girl. We all miss having you here and we are worried that something might be wrong."

Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, Steph bit down to fight the tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes.

"Ranger came to me the night he left for his mission," she finally whispered. "He said things, Tank. Things that have me full of fear."

"What did he tell you, little girl?"

"He said that he'd leave for a mission and he didn't know whether he'd come back. That this time was different and that the odds weren't just stacked against him but that his survival was deemed unlikely. He told me that he wanted to see me a last time to have the picture of me in my bed edged into his memory and that if it came to the worst and he didn't return that he made sure I'm taken care of. It was more than he'd ever told me, Tank, and he seemed so defeated. That's not the right state of mind to leave for a mission. I'm scared, Tank."

On the other end of the line she could hear a sigh before Tank spoke up and his deep baritone filled the line.

"He told you more than he was allowed to, little girl, but you have to stop worrying. Ranger is the best of the best for a reason. The moment he boarded his plane bringing him to who knows where he had his mind straightened out. Leaving you and all the missed chances behind might have made him sad and filled him with regret, but the moment the mission started he put all that out of his head. Be sure about that."

"What if he doesn't come back, Tank? How am I supposed to go on then?"

"He will return, Steph. Never doubt that. You have to be strong and believe in his success, you owe him that much. If we give up on him, how is he supposed to keep going?"

In his office at Rangeman, Tank pinched the bridge of his nose when he heard the unmistakable sound of a sob at the other end of the line. How could Ranger do that to her? He must have had a really weak moment to divulge so much information. Why couldn't he finally admit the feelings he had for his Babe, put a ring on her finger and be done with it. He was such a fool.

"Tell me, little girl. Have you ever told him how much you love him?"

"He doesn't do relationships and stupid things like kids and marriage, Tank. He was up front about that. His love doesn't come with a ring, but a condom might come in handy."

"WHAT? Don't tell me he gave you these shitty lines."

"It's okay. He's always been honest with me. That's more than I can say about the other men in my life."

"No, it's not okay, little girl, because I know for a fact that this man loves you with all his heart. I don't know what his problem is aside from the fact that he has his head up his ass."

That made Steph chuckle as she wiped at her cheeks slick with tears. "I'm not sure he'd approve of you talking about him like that, Tank."

"Well, he can kiss my ass, thank you very much. Steph, he might be my friend, probably my best friend though we don't really socialize, but you are my friend, too, and I care for you deeply. You are utmost important to me. Standing order at Rangeman is to protect you from any harm and hurt no matter what. For me, that also implicates any pain he might cause you. The contrast between his words and his actions hurt you and left you in an emotional limbo and for that he'll have to answer me when he returns."

"I love him, Tank."

It was the first time Steph admitted that out loud and it felt good, like a little weight was taken from her heart.

"I know. Believe me I know. I can see it in your eyes, in every gesture, every smile, but you have to tell him that, Steph, in clear words."

"I'm not much of a talker when it comes to emotions."

"I know, but for your own emotional health you have to tell him once and for all how you feel about him and what you want from him. He might be too much of a chicken shit to act on it, but then you have a chance for closure and moving on. It pains me to watch you suffering under his stubbornness."

"You know what?" Steph replied with a sniff. "You are right, Tank. It's time to stand up for myself. Perhaps I'll write him a letter that he can read once he's back."

"Now, that's a good idea. That way he can think about it in peace before he has to react. I know you think of him as batman, but he's just a man, Steph; a man that is easily scared by emotional stuff and shuts down instead of opening his heart even if he'd never admit to it."

"I guess with all the heroic things you do on a daily basis, it's easy to forget that you all are just men and not the Justice League," Steph smiled into the phone.

"That's so you, little girl," Tank laughed on the other end. "Only you can see anything heroic in our jobs while the rest of the world deems us thugs. So, joking aside, will you come over and visit with us? No searches, just fun. We all miss you and Ella promised us fresh Christmas cookies this afternoon. The vultures are already circling the break room."

"No, Tank. Not today. I think I will sit down and write my letter to Ranger. I can't get my mind off him anyway."

"Okay, but tomorrow you'll come over, even if it is just for an hour. Promised? Don't make me send someone over to get you."

"Okay, big guy. Tomorrow I'll come."

After they said their goodbyes, Steph once more laid her cell phone down on the kitchen counter, turned around and looked over to the window where the candle shone in the twenty inch high lantern.

_Please Ranger, if you hear me, come back to me. I love you and it's time that you learn how deep my feelings are running._

Sighing, Steph went to the fridge, grabbed a baby carrot and dropped it in Rex' cage. It was time to face the music and the talk with Tank had given her a new strength that she had missed for quite a while. With her newfound resolve she walked over to her bureau, grabbed her stationery and her best pen and then said down at her dining table. For a moment she struggled with what to write, but then she just let her mind run free and the words flowed out onto the paper.

_Dear Ranger,_

_When you read this it means that you are back from your mission. At least I hope you are. It would pain me to no end if I had to realize that I'm too late and missed my chance to tell you what you really mean to me. We are both not good at talking about emotions. That's why I'm doing this via paper – to give me the time to think over my words, and to give you the time to let them sink in._

_Ranger, I love you. And I don't talk about an infatuation or some crush. I'm in love with you. Your stubbornness and one-word-answers are driving me insane and yet they are part of what I love most about you. When your blank face slams down and you withdraw from me I could climb up walls, yet it draws me to you because I want to be the one to challenge you, to pull you out of your comfort zone and drink in the rampancy of an uncontrolled life. I love that you take me serious, that you support me no matter what, and that I know I can always count on you to be there for me and pick me up when I struggle. I want to offer you the same._

_You are my best friend, but my feelings are running so much deeper. When the corner of your lip turns up and your blank face melts away, it makes my day and the sound of your laughter is the most wonderful music in my ears. You challenge me and I can't tell you how much that means to me. Sometimes I wished you wouldn't let me get away with so much, but then again it just proves how deep your feelings for me run that you can't withstand my charm (smile)._

_I know you told me your life doesn't lend itself to relationships and if that is your last word I have no other choice but accept your decision, but I hope that before you shut down and ban any thought of us ever being together that you'll pause for a moment to think about the following. You deserve to be happy. No matter what you've done in your past, your soul ain't tainted. You are a wonderful man, a good dad, an even better friend. Your past doesn't dictate who you are or what you deserve in life. As for your missions, I've proven in the past and I'm proving right now that I can deal with them. Yes, I'm sad when you are gone and I feel a little lost, but that's normal if the one you love is risking his life at the other end of the world. Us being just friends or in a relationship doesn't change the loss I'd feel if you didn't come back. It would be the same for me. I realized that much when the Scrog mess went down. With Rangeman I have a building full of friends I can count on to pick me up and make me feel better. The guys have been so wonderful to me these past two weeks. Just before I started to write this letter, Tank called to check in with me and convinced me to come over to them tomorrow for a little chat and socializing. You see I'm taken care of emotionally. The danger coming from your enemies is of course another story. There's nothing I can say to make that disappear. It's a threat that is looming over my head as your friend and it would probably just intensify as your spouse. But it's a threat I'm willing to accept because it would be worth a life by your side and don't I have a say in this matter? It's my life we are talking about so it should be my decision. If we'd sit down and discuss the possible danger openly without one of us insisting on their point of view, I'm sure we could come up with a way to make me safer. You have no clue to what lengths I'd be willing to go for the chance at a relationship with you. I really want this, Ranger, want us. I have for a long time and believe me when I say that I thought it through and looked at it from every angle. The bottom line? You are the man I want to spend my life with, as long as fate will give us the chance to be together._

_All this being said, please know that no matter what you decide, I'm your friend and will always be. A life without you in it is unthinkable for me and I take you in any capacity that I can, but I thought it was time to tell you how I really feel and what I think about your concerns. _

_Feel loved and hugged. I'll always be yours,_

_Stephanie_

Steph read the letter one more time before carefully folding it and tucking it into an envelope. The thought of giving it to Ranger made her uncomfortable because baring her feelings scared her, but she had made up her mind and it was time. Enough of all those innuendos, stolen kisses and dancing around each other; it was time to grow up and stand up for what she wanted in life. Labelling the envelope with Ranger's name she put it next to her answering machine. She'd take it with her tomorrow when she'd drive over to Rangeman, fob her way up in Ranger's apartment and set it out for him to read once he was home. It wasn't lost on her how much lighter she felt now that she had all her thoughts written down on paper.

Outside darkness started to take over and the candle in her window spread a soft light in the room. Her apartment was warm and cozy and Steph decided a hot cocoa, a warm blanket and The Princess Bride was how she wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon. The last time she had seen the movie she'd snuggled in Ranger's arms a few days before he left and she would think of him watching it now.

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**~ Thank you for reading and reviewing ~**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich._**

**_A/N: Thanks so much to everybody who's following this story or has even favorited it and of course a big, big thank you to those who reviewed. Your words are the fuel to my engine ... hehehe ... Anyway, I'm happy you like the first chapter and I hope that you will enjoy the second one just as much. Here we go._**

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 2**

**December 23****rd****, 1620 hours**

Badakhshan mountains, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border.

A nasty, ice-cold wind was blowing down the mountainside, causing the four men's cheeks to burn and their eyes to water. In the distance, down in the valley, the simple buildings of a small village were barely visible in the increasing twilight.

"Shall I fire?"

Skip, their sniper, lay on the frozen rock at the edge of a cliff, his eyes trained on their target a mile away, and waited for his CO's order.

"No, not without clearance by command," Ranger replied while watching the movement of the group of Taliban through his binoculars. "Kaminski? Radio in that we made contact and request permission to fire."

"Aye."

The man called Kaminski quickly divested himself of his backpack and started to assemble his radio gear.

"Sir, I have the target in perfect view. In a few minutes it will be too dark for a safe shot." Skip adjusted two small wheels on his sighting scope to accommodate the wind and looked over his shoulder at his commanding officer.

"I know, doesn't change the chain of command. Kaminski?"

"We're in a dead zone; there's no signal. I need to move further up the mountain."

"Let's make the hit," the fourth man, Akroyd, interjected with a grim face. "Our MO is to eliminate El'Amir. Contacting command won't change that. I say go for it and then let us get the hell out of here. We are so deep in enemy territory that we can't sneeze without alarming anybody."

"Negative, Akroyd. Our orders are clear. Track down El'Amir, radio command, eliminate target after clearance."

"And what if he moves out tonight? It took us thirteen days and nights to find him. This was supposed to be a three day operation. Our provisions are long used up, we all have a severe cold with fever, are dehydrated and beyond exhausted. We're in desperate need of water, food and medical care."

"I have a clear line of fire, sir. It's now or never," they heard Skip's voice in their com units.

He was still lying face-down on the rock, his eyes focused on the target in the scope of his sniper rifle, his finger stretched out next to the trigger.

"Negative. We abort for today. Let's move further up towards the mountain top and contact the base. Afterwards we'll come back down here and rest for the remaining night. At sunrise Skip will take up position and we'll finish this assignment."

Ranger's voice was calm, his orders clear and the young men surrounding him obeyed without further objections. He knew that Akroyd with his barely twenty years was the weak link in their small group, but the guy had scouting talents that made him irreplaceable on this mission. He reminded him a lot of himself in younger days. Full of heat, ready to take on the world, yet not used to what combat stress and hard-core survival meant. Watching him struggle brought back memories of his own first mission gone bad and how he'd looked up to his commanding officer and his calm and quiet manner even when shit hit the fan. Now, he was thirty-five and the one in the front seat and he had to lead his small team on a suicide mission where they had to invade enemy territory deeper than anybody ever before, constantly dodging the enemy that was spread in small groups all over the mountains. Their survival was deemed unlikely, but they signed up anyway because eliminating El'Amir, one of the leading heads of the Taliban and responsible for the death of uncounted American soldiers and civilians, was important not just for the safety of their compatriots in this country, but also for the Afghan people who were suffering under the Taliban's brute violence.

"Get your night vision gear ready. It will take us several hours to reach the peak."

The men mounted their devices to their helmets and minutes later they were on their way up the mountain under Ranger's lead.

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**December 24****th****, 0830 hours**

Snow had started to fall over night leaving the men wet and freezing but at least they had something to quench their thirst with and sooth their sore throats. Now in the morning, the sky was bleak with deep hanging clouds and the snowfall had become so heavy that they couldn't see further than fifteen yards. Ranger stood behind Skip at the edge of the cliff with his binoculars in front of his eyes and cursed inwardly. Even with their high-tech gear there was no chance for them to see the village in the valley or the enemy hiding there. To make things worse, he and his men were in a bad shape, cold, sick and starving, but the weather left them no other choice than to wait for the snowfall to lighten up. Around midnight they had reached the mountain top and had finally been able to contact the base they had taken off from fourteen days ago. Their orders were clear. They were given permission to eliminate El'Amir as soon as there'd be another contact. After their mission was completed, they were to march east over the next mountain range and cross the Pakistani border. Once on Pakistani ground they'd be picked up by a Blackhawk and flown out – if they made it that far.

"Take cover under the trees and rest, I'll take over first watch. We have to wait for the weather to clear up," Ranger spoke into his com-unit and heard the men grunt in response. Due to the snowfall their descent through the night had ben arduous and they didn't have the chance to take a rest. Their bodies were outspent and working at their limit. They needed time to sleep and recover. Looking for shelter for himself, he finally moved under the deep hanging branches of a spruce, covered himself with needles and twigs and closed his eyes, his mind fully alert for the slightest noise. In his ear-piece he could hear the deep breathing of his three men already asleep.

_Be vigilant, soldier, and let them rest. Otherwise they'll be too exhausted to function._

Three hours later, a faint chiming of bells caused Ranger to open his eyes and take in his surroundings.

"Kaminski, Akroyd, Skip."

Immediately the different breathing patterns in his ear changed and he knew his men were awake.

"What's that?"

"I don't know."

"Stay covered," Ranger warned them. "It makes no sense to retreat and risk leaving tracks in the snow."

Ranger had lifted his head and was trying to see past his feet, but the snow was still falling heavy and there wasn't much to see. Listening to the chimes coming closer he could feel the muscles in his body tense and his right hand inched to the handgun strapped to his chest. Then he could hear the unmistakable sound of a dog barking.

"Fuck," sounded Akroyd's voice in his ear-piece.

"Stay calm and wait. Sounds like shepherds. With a little luck they will pass without realizing that we are here," Ranger strained his ears to determine the direction the noise was coming from, but the snow was tampering with the sound. He wasn't worried about the animals wearing the bells and the herders accompanying them were a calculable risk, but even with the thick snowfall the dog would be able to pick up their scent and that was bad news.

After two minutes of anxious waiting there was no doubt that whatever was out there was moving in their direction.

"Everybody, stay calm. Have your guns ready, but no moving until it's absolutely necessary and no one shoots except to defend himself. We don't know whether there are Taliban lurking around here and we need to avoid a confrontation if at all possible. If we want to complete this assignment it's necessary that we stay undetected."

"Aye," came Kaminski's reply while the other two answered with 'sir'.

Three more agonizingly slow minutes passed by, but finally a group of mountain goats with their young goatherds appeared between the spruces Ranger and his men were lying under. The four men pulled their feet further under the branches, making themselves as invisible as possible. The goats with their chiming bells completely ignored them and the herders didn't seem to pay attention either. Ranger sent a quick prayer to heaven and kept his eyes trained on the men accompanying the animals. They were four young boys and one old man and luckily they were completely focused on the path they were following. Then it happened. The guard dog escorting them stopped a couple yards away from the tree Kaminski was lying under, his nose in the air, sniffing.

_Go on_, Ranger tried to prompt him, _there's nothing there for you,_ but the dog stood frozen in place and eyed the spruce in front of him.

In contrast to Akroyd and Skip, Kaminski had already been on a few missions and Ranger trusted him to keep his cool, but the situation had FUBAR written all over it. Grabbing a fir cone, Ranger cautiously threw it in the opposite direction to distract the dog, but it didn't work. Helplessly, he had to watch as the animal started to lift his lips and snarl menacingly. Instantly, one of the boys went over and tried to make the dog go with him, but it refused to move even an inch. Instead, it stayed focused on Kaminski under the spruce and barked between snarls. The boy looked suspiciously at the tree, stepped closer and started to poke his hiking stick between the snow-covered branches. The four soldiers held their breath and then everything happened at once. The young goatherd became aware of Kaminski under his cover of twigs and needles and called out to his companions, the dog attacked Kaminski's leg who shot the animal and grabbed the kid while Ranger, Akroyd and Skip jumped up and overpowered the remaining herders, holding the old man at gun point.

"Fuck!" Akroyd yelled, completely losing his cool. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What now?"

They had rounded the group up and made them kneel on the ground, their guns aimed at their heads.

"We can't let them go. They'll run straight down to the village and inform the Taliban."

"We have to tie them to the trees, finish our job and leave."

"They'd freeze to death. That's not an option. Besides, they'd probably be missed and searched for which would mean an uncalculable danger for us," Ranger answered Skip and Kaminski calmly, his mind working a mile a minute to find a solution.

"Who cares whether they die?" Akroyd was beside himself. "What the hell are they doing here anyway in this weather?"

"I care. They are unarmed children. Civilians. They are not the enemy."

"We don't know that," Akroyd snarled. "For all we know they sympathize with the Taliban. They have to go."

"No!" Ranger looked at him and tried to make the young man in front of him see the truth. "What do you want to do? Shoot them? Killing them would be a war crime and bring us straight do The Hague. These kids are nothing but goatherds and the old man is their chaperon. Look at them Akroyd. They are civilians. They have nothing to do with our mission, they were just at the wrong time at the wrong place. We are no cold-blooded murderers."

Akroyd was right in his face and Ranger could see the confusion, anger and fear in his eyes born out of an overwhelming situation.

"We can't set them free. They'll betray us."

"We can and we must! There's no other choice." Ranger stared him straight in the eyes, exuding raw power and dominance out of every pore. He looked at Skip and Kaminski who were watching them closely. "This way or that way the mission is compromised. We will let them go and start moving over the mountain range. That was it, gentleman. We are on the retreat. I won't unnecessarily risk your lives by staying here. In this weather it will probably take us another two days before we'll reach the rendezvous point so let's see to it that we arrive there safe and sound."

The young soldiers in front of him looked defeated, but didn't object.

"Go, you are free!" Ranger said to the old man after helping him up. The man just looked at him, trying to understand. "I said go," Ranger waved his hands down the hill in the direction the group had been moving. "You are free."

The old man quickly spoke to the boys still kneeling on the floor, helped them up and pushed them forward. Turning back, he stretched his hand out and Ranger could see relief and gratitude in the old, wrinkly eyes.

"Be safe and merry Christmas," he told the old man and shook his hand before turning back to his own men and ordering them to move.

* * *

**December 24****th****, three o'clock in the afternoon**

Steph motored down the ramp into the Rangeman garage and parked in her usual spot next to Ranger's Porsche. Seeing the sleek, black car brought a smile to her lips and she quickly patted the envelope tugged away in the front pocket of her thick winter jacket. She was just getting out of her car, when the door to the stairwell banged open and Lester and Bobby muscled their way out of it.

"Beautiful."

"Bomber."

Les reached her first and with a shriek she found herself up in his arms in a breath constricting bear hug before he pressed a sloppy, wet kiss right on her lips.

"I missed you so much, Beautiful. You can't just vanish out of my life like that right before Christmas. How am I supposed to deal with all the god-awful merriness without you?"

Steph laughed and squeezed him close. Now that she was here she suddenly realized how much she had missed her friends.

"Now, now," Bobby interjected while cautiously removing Steph from Lester's embrace. "Let the girl breath and greet her favorite medic."

He enveloped Steph in a tight hug and pressed a lingering kiss on her curls before whispering in her ear. "Good to have you here, Steph. I know you long for Ranger to be back and being here might make you miss him even more, but we need you, too. You are our light, especially at this time of the year with many of us not having a family to turn to for love and support."

Steph squeezed him and quickly kissed his cheek. "Sorry for not coming around lately. You are right, I struggle a little with Ranger gone, but I promise I'll do better from now on."

"That's all I want to hear," Bobby leaned back and smiled down at her.

"So, Beautiful," Lester pulled her back and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You ready to move this party up to five? The guys are anxious to see you plus I saved you some of Ella's gingerbread cookies yesterday."

"I promise I'll be with you in a few, but first I need to go up to Ranger's apartment."

"You want us to accompany you?" Bobby looked at her with concern written all over his face.

"No, I'm fine. Promise. Go ahead and prep a perfect mug of coffee for me and I'll join you in a minute."

The two men vanished in the stairwell and Steph stepped into the elevator waiting for her thanks to someone at the monitors sending it down for her. Fobbing her way up to seven, she couldn't help but smile into the camera. Yes, she missed Ranger, but being greeted by Les and Bobby the way they did and feeling their love and support had left her with a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart.

Up on seven she entered Ranger's apartment with her key and let herself be enveloped by the calm always greeting her here. This was Ranger's place and looking around she realized it suited him and his uncommitted lifestyle to the dot. It was masculine and elegant, but it was just a meaningless shell without any hint who the owner was or what was important to him. It missed the mementos, the little things that would make it homey; just like the man didn't allow himself to get too comfortable and give up any information about himself.

Standing in the open apartment door, she wondered where she should place her letter. In the hall next to the silver platter for his keys, in the kitchen on the breakfast bar or on the nightstand next to the bed? In the end she decided the hall was the right place. That way he would see the envelope when he'd enter his apartment and could make up his mind when and where to read it. For a moment, Steph stood there, staring at the white square holding her most secret thoughts and feelings. That was it. The moment she'd leave the apartment and the letter behind, Ranger would once and for all know how she felt about him. She loved him. God, she loved him so much. But how was he supposed to know that if she never really told him? Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she turned around and let the door fall shut behind her. Shall fate take the reins. However Ranger would decide on the matter, she would have him in her life, but now at least there was a small chance for a shared future.

"Angel," Cal wrapped her up in his arms when she stepped off the elevator on five. "It's so good to have you here. Please tell me you'll come tomorrow so I can watch you unwrapping my Christmas gift for you."

"Aaaaw, you have a gift for me? You are the best." Steph smiled up at him, pulled his face down to her and kissed the flaming skull on his forehead. "I'll be at my parents in the morning, but I promise that afterwards I'll come over here and spend the afternoon with you. Perhaps we can convert the conference room in a movie theatre and watch some Christmas classics."

"As long as it isn't Ghostbuster," Cal laughed good naturedly and quickly grabbed Steph's hand that wanted to hit him to press a soft kiss on her knuckles.

It took a while to come to the end of the welcome wagon, but after she had hugged and kissed all the assembled guys on shift, the jolly atmosphere started to settle and Steph walked down the hall to Tank's office.

"Hey big guy," she stuck her head through the crack in the door. "You busy or do you have time for a hug?"

"Little girl," Tank straightened up and gave her a dazzling smile. "A hug is just what the doctor ordered," he opened his arms and pulled Steph close when she jumped on his lap. "I saw you entering Ranger's apartment," he pointed at his computer screen that showed an infinite loop of the in-house security feed.

"Yeah, I brought the letter upstairs that I wrote yesterday."

"Did you write plain and honest how you feel and didn't hold back?"

"Yep, everything's out in the open. Now it's up to him to make a decision."

"I'm so proud of you. If he should keep the stick up his ass and decide for the friend route, just let me know and I'll take you out on a date that you'll never forget."

Steph looked at his face and saw how serious he was.

"Tank," she cupped his face with both her hands so he'd know she meant every word. "No matter how Ranger decides, I hope to go on this date with you. I want to spend an evening with you and see how you are outside of work. You and the guys here are my best friends and adopted family and I love nothing more than seeing you all relaxed and laid-back."

"In that case let me start planning," Tank smiled at her, took her hands in his and kissed both their palms. "You'll be here for a while?"

"Yes, Lester said something about gingerbread cookies and I hope Bobby and he have a cup of sugary, creamy coffee ready for me. It's time to tread the guys to some of my trademark moans. I know they are waiting for them," Steph grinned and pressed a big kiss on Tank's cheek.

"I have to finish these reports but perhaps we can all do Shorty's for dinner?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Steph smiled causing Tank to laugh.

"No, I guess in your case I don't."

Steph skipped out of his office and walked down the hall. Lester and Bobby were in the control room shooting shit with Brett and Junior and even from the distance she could see the plate with cookies and the mug of steaming coffee waiting for her. Thankful for the wonderful friends she had, she walked into the room, stepped behind Lester and slung her arms around his waist.

"Hey Beautiful," he turned around, wrapped her in his arms and softly kissed her hair. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything fine. Just happy that I have you and Bobby in my life," she smiled up at him and enjoyed the comforting feeling she always got when she was in their arms. They weren't Ranger's, but they'd do until the man of her heart would be back and she'd finally feel whole again.

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**~ Thank you for reading and reviewing ~**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey everybody... HAPPY NEW YEAR!**_

_**I want to thank everybody who took the time and reviewed the past chapter. Your comments made me smile and fed my drive to continue this story. Thanks so much.**_

_**Disclaimer as always: **__**All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 3**

**December 25th, 1400 hours**

Silently the group of four men fought their way through the thigh-high snow. Since twenty-nine hours they were on the move, just interjected by one three-hour break for sleep, and they were beyond outspent. Gritting their teeth, they kept putting one foot ahead of the other, their fatigues drenched and frozen in places. Any feeling in their wet, ice-cold bodies was long lost and their legs were shaking with complete exhaustion. Twenty-nine gruesome hours and whatever energy and stamina had been left back when they'd started their hike was long depleted. This was no longer about reaching their rendezvous safe and sound, this was about plain survival, about getting out of this alive at all. The constant snowfall had finally died down, but therefore the temperature had dropped to fifteen degree and they were in danger of freezing to death if they stopped moving. Every step was an agony and more and more often their knees buckled and it got harder and harder to straighten up and go on.

"Come on," Ranger urged his men on, his breath crystallizing in front of his mouth, instantly freezing in the beard that had grown over the past two weeks, as he tackled another snowdrift. "We are on the peak. I want to reach the protection of the tree line before darkness sets in."

His men were fighting, but there was just so much more they could do before their bodies would shut down. He had to get them to the safety of the trees and find shelter for a couple hours.

"We made it this far and I won't accept anybody giving up now. Remember your advanced training. You've been through much worse."

That wasn't entirely true because all through their training they'd been exposed to controlled situations and never faced a real struggle for survival, but he needed to keep them going. Ranger pushed his body through the drift, then stood aside and watched his men pass him. They looked like death walking, were all running a temperature, were dehydrated and hadn't eaten anything since eleven days. This time their enemy didn't come at them with bullets and explosives, their foe was within themselves and their iron wills to survive was the only weapon they had to their defense.

"Kaminski," Ranger called out to the man at the front. "Contact command while we're up here and give them our position."

Nodding, the young man dropped down onto his knees, unbuckled his backpack and grabbed his radio gear. His fingers were frozen stiff even though he was wearing gloves and he needed a few attempts, but finally the equipment was assembled and he searched for the right transmission channel.

"Hawkeye, this is Vulture one. Are you receiving me? Over."

The men tensely listened to the static noise in the radio, but nobody got back to them.

"Hawkeye, this is Vulture one. Come in, please."

Nothing. The only sound coming out of the radio was interferences. The men pressed their lips together and let their shoulders slump. Then, finally, a cracking.

"Vulture one, this is Hawkeye. We hear you loud and clear. What's your position?"

Ranger kept his blank face firmly in place, but Akroyd, Skip and Kaminski let go a breath of relief. Hearing the voice of the radio operator on base was like a snippet of home; comforting, something to hang on to, to give them strength and nourish their will to fight. Kaminski gave the operator their position, a summary of the events and their general condition, and agreed on a time for their pick-up with an alternative in case they wouldn't make it in time. Ranger looked at the faces of his men and could see the relief in them. It had been the right decision to try to contact the base. If it hadn't worked out, the whole plan had backfired and probably taken the last fight out of his men, signing their death certificate, but now he could see a glimpse of new found hope in their eyes. The chances that they would master the rest of the way down to the valley to their rendezvous had just increased.

"Okay men, get up," he ordered the three young men in front of him who staggered back to their feet. "You can see the tree-line below us. That's our destination. Once there we'll find us some shelter and rest for a while. We neither can light up a fire, nor can we risk falling asleep, but we can warm each other with our body heat so think puppy pile and start moving."

* * *

**December 25th, nine o'clock in the morning**

Steph sprawled in her bed under the sheets and tried to find the strength in her to open her eyes. Christmas morning. Finally it was there and nonetheless she couldn't feel the slightest joy and anticipation in her. She missed Ranger. Where was he? Was he doing okay? Was he in danger?

_Sure he is; he's on a mission, moron,_ Steph mentally smote her brow and shook her head.

Was he thinking about her? Probably not if he was busy fighting for his life. But then again, perhaps the thought of her gave him strength to survive whatever the government had sent him into. Turning over onto her side, Steph snuggled deeper into the warmth of her bed and let a small tear trickle out of her eye.

_Please come back to me, Ranger. I need you._

Just as she was on the verge of going back to sleep, Steph heard the locks at her front door tumble. What the hell? That couldn't be a stalker; not on Christmas morning, right? Perking up her ears, she lay on her side and listened to the sounds coming from the living room. Someone was moving around. There, that was the faucet in the kitchen. Stalkers normally didn't make themselves comfortable so she decided to give free reins to whoever had broken into her apartment and let nature run its course. She was way too comfortable to stand up and investigate.

In the end she must have fallen asleep again because a well-known warm voice and a warm, callous hand stroking her cheek brought her back from a peaceful slumber.

"Steph, honey, wake up."

"Uh, lemme sleep."

"No can do, sleeping beauty. It's Christmas and your nieces are waiting for you at your parent's place."

Opening her eyes, Steph blinked a few times before focusing on the handsome dark-skinned man lying next to her in her bed, propped up on one of his elbows and smiling down at her.

"Bobby, what are you doing here?" She asked, stopping the movement of his hand stroking her cheek to snuggle her face into his big palm.

"I'm your personal wake-up service and designated driver of the day," he grinned, showing off his pearly white teeth. "It snowed the whole night and now it's freezing. Les and I don't want you to drive with your POS car with that much snow and ice on the streets. So we had an arm wrestling match over who would get to wake you up and bring you to your parents and I won," Bobby smiled over his whole face.

"There's something seriously wrong with you, Bobby Brown, if you are that happy about waking me up. Everybody knows I'm not a morning person."

"Bomber, every minute spent with you is a happy minute in my book. So come on and get out of bed. Coffee and donuts are waiting for you in the kitchen."

Bobby leaned over, pressed a lingering kiss on her brow and then stood up and walked out of the bedroom. Sniffing the air, Steph sighed at the mix of his Davidoff Cool Water and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. That was just the right incentive to get her moving. A quick look out of her bedroom window revealed the whole extend of the nightly snowfall. The cars were all completely snowed in, covered with two foot of fresh white magic, with the exception of one shiny black Rangeman Navigator that stood out between all those mountains of snow parked in the lot.

"I love the sight of your car looking all toasty warm in comparison to the rest," Steph called out towards the kitchen and smiled when she heard Bobby's laughter.

"Honey," he poked his head around the corner of her bedroom door. "I don't know about the toasty warm, but I can assure you that car loves you, too, as does the driver."

Bobby hesitated for a moment before letting a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. "You know it needs just one word from you and Tank will get you a similar ride. You would do us all a big favor because none of us would need to worry about you any longer when you are out and about."

"Puh-leaze," Steph looked at him skeptically. "With my luck it would go boom before the ink on the insurance form is dry. It would be an inexcusable waste of money. And don't tell me you guys would stop worrying just because I drive a Rangeman-approved battleship."

"Well, perhaps we wouldn't stop worrying completely, but at least we wouldn't have to worry about your POS cars anymore and the danger they represent. Seriously, Steph, we would all feel better if we'd know that you drive a fleet car. And don't worry about insurance premiums. Rangeman is paying the highest premiums as it is, even without you accidentally blowing cars up. Any car the company would buy for you would be a tax-saving write-off object and in the end increase Rangeman's profit."

Bobby watched the wheels turning in Steph's head and mentally pumped his fist in the air. He stretched his hand out in her direction which she took and twirled her towards him until her back hit his chest.

"Think about it, okay?" he whispered in her ear and pressed a soft kiss against her temple. "And now go and get ready," he pushed her towards her bathroom and swatted her ass.

Half an hour later, Steph stepped into the living room, dressed in some elegant beige wool slacks, a white blouse and an electric blue cashmere camisole. Immediately, Bobby stood up from the couch he was sitting on, came over and drew her in a hug as though his life depended on having her close.

"What's going on, Bobby?" Steph asked against his chest. "I know you like to hug in comparison to some of the other guys, but today you are a real snuggle bear. Not that I complain."

Bobby squeezed her close to his chest before relaxing his arms, leaning back and looking down at her.

"You are right, hun. Please forgive me if I'm clingy, but Christmas is always a difficult time for me."

"Why is that? All the past years you seemed to do okay."

"That's because I'm good at hiding my emotions," Bobby smiled sheepishly. "Plus we weren't as close as we are now."

"Tell me. What's going on?"

"Well," he took a step backwards, but kept her hands in his. "You know how unloving I grew up. You and Rangeman are all I have. I've become friends with a few of the guys, but we aren't really close. Not as close as you and I are. When I'm off work I like to talk and I'm sensitive and caring. I don't say that the other guys aren't, but showing these traits isn't much appreciated. Every one of them has their chosen persona established that they hide behind and don't deviate from. Anyway, Christmas always shows me quite plainly how alone I am and I have a hard time dealing with that."

Steph threw her arms around his neck, pulled his head down and pressed a couple loving kisses on his cheek.

"You are not alone," she snuggled as close to him as was humanly possible. "You have me and Lester and Tank and all the other guys. And whether they are capable of showing what you mean to them or not; we are your family."

"I know," Bobby sighed. "It's just… it's not a real family. I'm not sure how to explain what I'm feeling without sounding whiny, but I have always dreamed of being part of a big, loving family, of being a son, a brother, an uncle, a nephew and cousin, and perhaps eventually a husband and dad. And now look at me. I'm nothing of that. My parents disowned me; I have no aunts or uncles or grandparents; I'm alone."

Steph leaned back and looked up into his sad chocolate brown eyes and it broke her heart.

"You, Bobby Brown, are **my** adopted brother and the most wonderful friend I can wish for and I won't allow you suffering the blues and being depressed over something that we can't change. At least not now. As much as I wished I could, I can't conjure up a family for you like the one you've always dreamed of. The only chance to become a part of something like that is if you find a woman with a big family that will welcome you in their midst. We can work on that. I promise I will help you. But for now, you have to be content with being loved by me. Can you do that?"

Bobby smiled and pulled her back into a tight embrace. "Yes, I can, honey. For you I do everything." After a moment he let her go and took a step back to take in her appearance. "You're a sight for sore eyes; elegant and beautiful. You mother will be pleased. Not that that should matter in any way."

He led her over to the couch, quickly went to the kitchen to fix her a mug of coffee and brought it back to her together with a plate holding two donuts.

The moment the first mouthful of black magic hit her taste buds Steph was in heaven. Bobby had concocted the perfect mixture of coffee, sugar and cream and she moaned in bliss.

"It's a very good thing that my feelings for you are strictly brotherly," Bobby laughed as he pulled her feet on his lap and started to massage them. "Otherwise I'd be in a world of pain now."

"It's not my fault," Steph mumbled around a mouthful of Boston Cream, "that you prep a perfect mug of coffee and bring my favorite donuts. And now you are even massaging my feet. I'm putty in your hands."

"I like to make you happy, that's all."

"So," Steph licked her fingers in gusto after she had finished her second donut. "What are your plans for today after you brought me to my parents?"

"I'm not sure. Guess I will go to my office, stock up the infirmary and push some papers around until it's time to pick you up again," Bobby shrugged, but couldn't hide the sad expression on his face quickly enough.

"Give me your phone," Steph held her hand out.

"Why?"

"Just give me your phone. I'm way too comfortable to stand up and pick up mine from the kitchen counter."

Bobby reached for his cell phone clipped to his cargoes and placed it in Steph's waiting hand.

"Mom?" Steph started to speak after she quickly dialed the number she knew in her sleep. "This is Stephanie. Would you mind if I bring a friend along? He has no family other than me and I don't want him to feel lonely on this special day... thanks mom, see you in a few."

"Steph," Bobby looked at her when she handed him his phone back. "That's not necessary. Christmas is special. I don't want to impose on your family."

"Nonsense. My mother is looking forward to meeting you. After telling her that you have no family of your own you can be sure to be stuffed with cooked love by her. Besides it will be a blessing to have you with me with all the bedlam that will erupt once the kids are allowed to open their presents. With a little luck my mother will even refrain from pushing me towards Morelli with you there."

"But I'm just in my black cargoes, shirt and Rangeman hoodie."

"That's okay. Don't worry about what you wear. Your presence is all that counts."

"But I have no presents," Bobby tried to object again, looking uncharacteristically insecure.

Steph grabbed his hands and squeezed them before stroking his cheek. "Stop making excuses. Nobody expects you to have presents. Just be there with me and we'll have a good time. What do you think?" She searched his eyes expectantly. The moment Steph could see agreement settle in she lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Okay, okay," Bobby laughed at her exuberance and stood up with Steph in his arms as though she weighed nothing. "I agree to come with you and celebrate Christmas with your family, but then let's move. I don't want to be late if your mom is so gracious to accept me as an unexpected guest."

Five minutes later they approached Bobby's black Navigator. It had nonskid chains mounted to its wheels and shone even though the sun wasn't shining.

"Ma'am, your chariot awaits you," Bobby bowed with a flourish. "Please, let me help you."

He went over to the car, opened the passenger door, then came back, picked up Steph and carried her to her seat so she didn't have to step into the deep snow.

"You are such a gentleman, Mr. Brown."

"I do my very best, milady," Bobby smiled back at her, kissed her hand and then moved around the car to the driver's door.

He drove them carefully through a snow-covered Trenton, the wheels of the Navigator not once losing their hold, the interior toasty warm and cozy as they talked about nothing particular.

"Aunt Stephie, aunt Stephie," Angie and Mary Alice jumped up and down when Steph entered the living room, closely followed by Bobby.

"Hey girls," she dropped down onto her knees and hugged her two nieces. "How are you? Are you already excited about what Santa brought you?"

"Yeaahhh," the two girls squealed, and then looked at the big man standing behind their aunt. "Aunt Stephie," Angie whispered. "Who's that?"

"That's my friend Bobby," Steph answered, standing up and grabbing Bobby's hand. "He'll celebrate with us today. Bobby, these are my two of my three nieces. Angie who loves to read and color, and Mary Alice who is a beautiful horse."

Bobby squatted down and smiled at the two girls. "Angie, Mary Alice, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Steph," Stephanie's mom suddenly rushed into the living room. "I thought I heard your voice. Who let you in? I didn't hear the doorbell."

"Albert opened the door for us. Merry Christmas, mom. This is my friend Bobby."

"Bobby," Mrs. Plum quickly dried her hands in her apron, never forgetting her Burg manners. "Merry Christmas. It's a pleasure to have you with us today."

"And what a hottie he is," Grandma Mazur chimed in, looking Bobby over and clicking her dentures. "Can I lick your skin? I want to know whether you taste like chocolate."

"Mother."

Grandma Mazur's eyes where shining as she eyed the front of Bobby's cargoes. "Is it true that black men are hung like horses?"

"Mother!"

"What? It's not my fault that you're a dud in the sack and can't appreciate the male anatomy."

Much to Steph's and her mother's surprise, Bobby doubled over with laughter.

"Mrs. Mazur," he wheezed between guffaws. "I can assure you I don't taste like chocolate and I'm definitely not hung like a horse, but if you are nice, keep your lips zipped and don't try to feel me up for the time I'm here, I'm willing to meet you under the mistletoe and give you a kiss as my Christmas present so you have something to tell your lady friends."

Before anybody could recuperate from the shock, Grandma Mazur grabbed Bobby's hand and pulled him with her until they stood under the mistletoe. Bobby grinned over his whole face as he looked down at the gleaming eyes of the small woman in front of him.

"I like you. You are special," Grandma said smiling up at him.

"Oh, nothing special here. I'm just thankful that I have your wonderful granddaughter in my life and that for a few hours I can be part of this family. You ready?"

Grandma Mazur's eager nodding caused Bobby to chuckle. Gently he cupped Grandma's face with both his hands and lowered his head. When he was a couple inches from her face, he smiled, looked into her eyes and said, "the lips stay zipped," before lowering his face the last two inches and pressing a short kiss on the elderly's mouth.

When he straightened back up you could have heard a pin drop. Mr. and Mrs. Plum, Albert, Valerie and Steph stood frozen in place, completely shell-shocked, and Grandma Mazur looked as though she'd swoon any moment. The only one unperturbed was the 6'2" black man smiling at them.

"Mrs. Plum," Bobby stepped forward, breaking the silence. "I wish you and your husband a merry, merry Christmas. Thank you for inviting me on such a short notice. It's really generous to let me be part of your Christmas celebrations and I'm sorry that I'm not properly dressed and come without presents for you and your family."

"Nonsense. You are warmly welcome, Bobby. Nobody should be alone on Christmas day," Steph's mother came out of her stupor and shook the offered hand. If there was one thing Steph could count on it was the proper manners of her mother and her motherly heart, even if the only way for her to express her love was with food.

The following hours passed by in a blur. Grandma Mazur was smitten with Bobby and on her best behavior. Not once did she try to feel him up but instead pampered him together with Steph's mother as though he was the long lost son. Steph couldn't believe what she saw and watched the scenes unfolding in front of her eyes with amusement. Her friend was positively glowing, the sadness in his eyes completely gone. He talked with Albert and Valerie, took Angie and MA out in the backyard to build a snowman, cuddled with little Lisa, even enticed a few words from Mr. Plum, but Steph's favorite moment was when they opened the presents under the Christmas tree and her mother handed Bobby a beautiful tin with a big bow filled with home-baked cookies. The abundance of emotions flying over his face were heart-warming and when he blinked his eyes as though he was fighting tears that were not allowed to fall, Steph took his hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. No gift in the world could have elicited such a joy as watching Bobby's happiness. Well, perhaps aside from having Ranger back.

* * *

**December 25th, 1630 hours**

Darkness was setting in and they still hadn't reached the tree line. Ranger looked at the men behind him, wheezing and staggering and cursed. Another storm had moved in, clawing at them, and the temperature dropped further to perceived five degree, their bodies in their wet frozen clothes on the edge of hypothermia. Every breath hurt like hell, every step demanded all the willpower they had.

"Nobody gives up, understood?" He shouted over the wind. "Get your night vision devices ready. We **will** reach the tree line. Think of your families, your girlfriends. They need you to come home."

Ranger felt the exhaustion in his own body, knew he was long past his limit, but his iron will kept him going. His fighting spirit, his attention was solely focused on their survival. Watching Akroyd, Skip and Kaminski pass him, he suddenly felt the snow move under his feet. All four men came to a sudden stop and looked at each other with dread in their eyes. Then the earth opened its gruesome mouth under them and they fell into the dark deepness of a crevice.

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_**A/N: Come on, Babes. Where are you? Twenty-four reviews for two chapters are by far not enough :-)  
**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Wow ... Babes, you rock! Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews! Some were quite detailed, others rather short, but they all were much appreciated. I can't tell you how much they mean to me. As acknowledgement of my gratitude I made this chapter extra long. I hope you enjoy it.**_

_**Disclaimer is the same as last chapter: **__**All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 4**

With a jolt Ranger pulled in a lung full of air and opened his eyes. Where was he? What happened? He must have been unconscious, but for how long and why? Brushing snow off his face, he took in the pitch black darkness surrounding him and the memories slowly came back. They'd been on the descent from the peak on their way to the tree line when suddenly the snow under them gave way and they fell into the deepness. Moving his head around, he couldn't even see his hand in front of his eyes so he listened for any sounds. Nothing.

"Kaminski, Akroyd, Skip?"

Silence; not a single noise broke through the darkness. Cautiously trying to sit up, he grimaced at the brutal pain stabbing through his right leg and lay back. There was definitely something broken. Fuck. About ten yards above him he could barely make out the edge of the crevice against the darkening sky. A painful groan to his left made him move his head in the direction of the sound.

"Akroyd?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you okay?"

"I think my leg's broken."

"Same here."

Ranger clenched his teeth, sat up, removed his backpack and fumbled for the flashlight. Once the beam lightened up the crevice, he could see that it was about two yards wide and ten yards long.

"Akroyd?"

"Here, sir."

The beam of the flashlight found the lifted hand of his man a few yards away. Ranger moved the light over the snow between them and immediately could make out Kaminski's unconscious form who had crumbled on top of Skip. Groaning in pain, Ranger pulled his body over to them, dragging his broken leg after him, and started to check out Kaminski.

"He's alive. We need to pull him off Skip. You have to help me."

Akroyd followed suit and crawled over to his two comrades, ignoring the pain he was in.

"On three. One, two, three."

With their combined power Ranger and Akroyd managed to move Kaminski off their fourth man and laid him next to him.

"His helmet is broken and he has a head wound," Ranger looked at the blood immediately staining the snow red. "Get your flashlight and dressing material from you backpack, Akroyd, and stop the bleeding. I'll take care of Skip."

"Skip. Skip, can you hear me?" Ranger looked into the wide opened eyes of their sniper, but got no response. Snipping his fingers in front of his face didn't help, so he slapped him and raised his voice. "Private first class Heatherman," Ranger barked. "Pull yourself together." That got a reaction. The man lying in the snow blinked and his eyes started to focus on his CO. "Are you okay, Heatherman?"

"I'm not sure. My legs, sir. I can't feel my legs," Skip's voice was barely above a whisper.

Ranger looked down at the man's legs and saw them sticking straight away from his body with no indication of an injury, but his back had obviously crashed onto some sharp rocks when he hit the ground and Kaminski landed on top of him.

"Can you move your toes?"

"I don't feel them, sir. Why can't I feel them?"

Ranger could see panic rise in the young man's eyes and knew he had to do something before he'd freak.

"Calm down, Heatherman. Are you in pain?"

"No, sir."

"It can be the shock or it's possible that you injured your back. This or that way, there's nothing we can do about that so you have to keep your cool. Under normal circumstances it would be indicated to not move you until the paramedics are here, but these aren't normal circumstances and we have to minimize your contact with the snow so you don't freeze to death. Do you think you can pull yourself upright so you can lean against the rock wall?"

"I think so, sir."

"Good. Do that. The less contact your body has with the snow the better. At least we are secure from the storm down here."

Ranger pulled himself over to his other two men and watched Akroyd wrapping a bandage around Kaminski's head.

"The bleeding stopped?"

"Mostly, sir, but I could feel quite the crack. I think his skull is broken," Akroyd sat back with his back against the rock wall and started to repack his dressing material. "What about Skip?"

"Potential back injury. He has no feeling in his legs and toes."

"What do we do now, sir? We are trapped here. Kaminski's unconscious, Skip's unable to move, and we both have broken legs."

"For now we turn off the flashlights and rest. We have to save on battery capacity. Once we've recovered a bit, we'll get the radio equipment from Kaminski's backpack, assemble it and try to contact the base."

"And if it's broken from the fall?"

"Then we'll repair it. Watch your thoughts, Akroyd. For our survival it's important that we keep our minds clear and focused. Our goal is to come home and we stick to it until we draw our last breath. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Ranger watched the young man lean back, shut off his flashlight and close his eyes. Good. He needed time to think about a way out for them. The situation was truly fucked up beyond all recognition. Grimacing in agony, he pulled his body closer to the rock wall, turned around and took a deep cleansing breath. Goddamn, the pain was gruesome. Cautiously, he felt along his lower leg and easily found the place where the bones were broken. Without any wood to build a splint he would have to suck it up and work around it. Fuck.

"Close your eyes and rest, Heatherman. You'll need all your energy when it's time to get us out of here."

"Yes, sir."

Exhausted, Ranger leaned back against the wall, shut off his flashlight and closed his eyes. He needed to rest some or he would be of no use for his men. As he let his brain shut down and started to doze, the picture of a curly haired brunette with sparkling blue eyes snuggled in her bed popped up in his mind and he felt a familiar warmth spreading through him.

_Babe._

* * *

**December 25****th****, three o'clock in the afternoon**

"Mrs. Plum, thank you so much for the wonderful time I had with your family. Dinner was delicious and I can't remember the last time I had so much fun on Christmas day," Bobby squeezed Mrs. Plum's hand and was short of hugging her when he remembered just in time what Steph had told him about her family. They didn't do hugs, they did food. Well, going by the big brown bag with leftovers he held in his other hand Mrs. Plum had definitely taken him to her heart.

"It was a pleasure having you with us, Bobby. Feel free to come over whenever you want. If you tell me in time, I'll make sure to have a carrot cake for you," Mrs. Plum beamed.

Steph looked at her mother as though she'd grown a second head. Over the past few hours, Bobby had morphed into her mother's new favorite, leaving the rest of the family shaking their heads.

"Perhaps you could come and pick me up at the Clip'n Curl or take me to a viewing at Stiva's?" Grandma Mazur was aglow with excitement. "I could show you around and you could meet some of my friends."

"Grandma," Steph rushed to Bobby's rescue. "Bobby is very busy at Rangeman. He won't have time…"

Bobby's hand on her arm made her stop mid-sentence.

"Just tell me the next time you are at the Clip'n Curl, grandma Mazur, and I'll make sure to give you a ride home," he smiled down at the old woman in front of him.

When he saw the surprise quickly being replaced by overwhelming joy on her face, he couldn't help but open his arms. Everybody froze and then the Plum's and Kloughn's mouths fell open as their grandmother stepped into the embrace of the big, dark-skinned man and let herself be enveloped by his strong arms. Shocked, Steph watched Bobby lean down and whisper something in her grandmother's ear which caused her to lean back and smile up at him.

"Just if you promise to do the same."

"Scouts' honor," Bobby smiled down at her and let her go.

"Mr. Plum," he offered Steph's father his hand. "It was an honor to meet you. Thank your for welcoming me in your home."

"My pleasure, son. As my wife told you, come back whenever you feel like it. Perhaps next time you can help me with some shelves in my garage."

"Will do, sir, and I'll gladly help you," he shook the older man's hand. "Albert, Valerie, it was nice to meet you," he turned towards Steph's sister and brother-in-law. "And you," he squatted down and found Angie and Mary Alice's eyes, "you keep being nice to your parents and little Lisa and I'll come over for your birthdays with special gifts."

"Yaayyyyyy," the two girls jumped in his arms and squeezed him tight. They had the time of their life when he took them outside in the backyard to build a snowman and clung to him afterwards like Velcro tape.

"I think it's time we go," Steph said quietly, brushing her hand through Bobby's short hair as he held her two nieces.

"Yeah, you are right," he squeezed the two girls a last time before standing up.

Saying another round of goodbyes, the two finally managed to get out of the house and walked down to the waiting Navigator.

"Thank you, Steph," Bobby pulled her tight into his arms when they reached the passenger door. "I was filled with so much apprehension when I woke up this morning. I never imagined I'd have such a wonderful day. You are amazing. I'm so happy to have you in my life."

"I feel the same, Bobby. This Christmas was so relaxed and special and comfortable and all just because you were there," she whispered while snuggling against him so they touched from head to toe. "I'm one lucky girl to call you my friend."

"I'm not just your friend, you declared me your adopted brother, remember?"

"How could I forget," she squeezed him and pressed a quick kiss on his hoodie-covered pec. "The best brother a girl can wish for."

"You ready for round two?"

"What do you mean?" Steph looked up at him.

"Oh, I have it on good authority that several of the guys bought gifts for you and they can't wait for me to bring you over so they can finally start their very own Christmas party."

Bobby helped her into the Navigator, jogged around to the driver's side and soon they were on their way to Rangeman. When he stopped at a red light, he looked over at Steph and caught her watching him.

"What?"

"I can't believe how comfortable you were with my grandmother. It astonishes me. All the other guys are scared of her, but you not only hugged her close but also kissed her under the mistletoe. You treated her so special, she glowed the whole time we were there."

"Your grandmother is lonely. I can see it in her eyes, feel it in every one of her actions. She's craving attention and affection. Sure, she makes a joke of it, but that's just another kind of blank face like the one the guys and I use when we want to hide what's really going on with us. In truth she's scared of being alone and longs for physical contact and interaction. I just tried to make her feel appreciated and loved."

The light turned green and Bobby cautiously accelerated while Steph mulled over his words.

"She's always so extroverted and bubbly. I never thought she might feel lonely. What can I do?"

"I think you do everything possible," Bobby grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Offer her to be her designated driver whenever you can, take her to viewings at Stiva's and if you want we can do something together with her from time to time. I like her. You've inherited a lot of her spirit. Makes me smile when I think of you becoming older," he chuckled.

"Haha, very funny, Mister. So what did you tell her when you whispered in her ear earlier?"

"Curious, much?" Bobby laughed. "I told her that whenever loneliness threatens to take over that she shall remember what a special person she is and that she deserves to be loved and have fun."

"And she made you promise to do the same," Steph nodded. "I completely agree with her."

Meanwhile they had turned on Haywood and approached the black Rangeman building.

"Thank you, Bobby."

"For what?"

"For being so wonderful to my grandmother. You know how much I love her. She's my only constant supporter within my family and I'm not sure what I'd do without her."

"It's my pleasure, honey. Remember how I told you how much I miss being part of a family? Today I was a grandson, a son, a brother, a friend and an uncle and all thanks to you and your family. It felt so wonderful. Believe me, I'm on cloud nine," Bobby smiled while slowly rolling down the icy ramp into the Rangeman garage.

Up on five, Tank, who was manning the monitors, sent a text to all Rangemen that Steph had finally arrived and immediately he could hear cheers erupt in the big conference room where the men were watching movies. A moment later they all poured out into the hall and gathered in front of the elevator to greet the woman who was making them feel loved and special.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"Mine first," Cal grabbed a small gift from the table pushed to the side and laid it in Steph's hands.

Full of expectations he kneeled down in front of her and looked up into her happy eyes.

"Thank you, Cal," Steph whispered, completely moved, while reverently weighing the rectangular box in her hands. "That wasn't necessary and I'm touched."

"Come on, open it," the huge man with the flaming skull tattoo impatiently rubbed his hands on his thighs.

Steph eagerly removed the wrapping paper and stared at a black velvet jeweler's box with a sophisticated silver emblem and the word 'Caprice' written under it. Inside, the most delicate white gold necklace and angel wing pendant nestled in the black satin cushion. Steph could just stare. The pendant was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen; breathtaking in its detail with tiniest what she was sure were diamonds embedded in the tips of the feathers. With utmost care, Steph cautiously moved her fingers over the delicate piece of jewelry.

"Cal, that's breathtakingly beautiful, but it's too much."

"No, it's not," Cal straightened up on his knees and cupped Steph's face. "It's a sign of my love and thankfulness for everything you've done for me this past year. Don't hurt me by refusing it."

Steph kissed the inside of his wrist and looked back down at the pendant.

"Caprice… I conducted a search on them."

"Yes, you did. They are one of our new clients and offer handcrafted jewelry. Every piece is unique. It's no secret that you are my angel. Not because you are angelic and perfect in every way but because you are perfect for me. You give me hope, confidence and peace; you are my light. The angel wings are what comes to my mind when I think of you."

Steph was frozen in place. When it became obvious that she wouldn't move or say something, Cal took the box from her hand and cautiously removed the necklace.

"Hold your hair up."

He laid the necklace around her neck and closed the latch, then leaned back and smiled at the sight in front of him.

"Merry Christmas, Angel. I'm always yours. Whenever you need me, I promise I'll be right by your side."

Steph lunged herself into his arms and they toppled over, ending in a heap on the floor much to the amusement of the other guys. Their whistles and catcalls made her blush, but Cal's happy laughter outweighed any embarrassment.

"Okay, enough of this sappy shit," Les helped Steph up from the floor, lifted her in his arms and sat down at the now empty chair with her secure on his lap. "Now, Beautiful, it's time for you to be truly blown away by Bobby and my gift."

Bobby got a red envelope from the table and gave it to her. Holding it to her nose, Steph could smell Lester's Armani Code and eyed him speculatively.

"If this is something naughty, you are in a world of trouble, Les."

"Beautiful, I'm hurt," he grinned at her way too mischievous. "I have nothing but purest thoughts when it comes to you."

The guys in the room roared with laughter. Smiling, Bobby squatted down in front of them and stroked her cheek.

"Open it honey. I promise it's nothing questionable. After all it comes from me, too."

Tearing the envelope open, Steph pulled out a paper and laughed at the colorful stick figure drawing of someone lying unconscious on the floor while a curly haired girl stood smiling over them with her fist in the air. A voucher was attached to it.

"This is a gift certificate for a twelve week women self-defense class at the new dojo that opened downtown," Bobby smiled at her.

"We know," Les added with his arms wrapped around her waist, "that you have a problem with exercise and the thought of training with us seems to make you uncomfortable plus you obviously always get your man. Nonetheless, Bobby and I are scared for you when you are out hunting down skips. You might always get your man, but it comes at a price for you and one day that price will be an injury you won't bounce back from. We can't lose you; not now, not ever."

"Les and I went to the dojo and talked to the trainers and they know their job," Bobby took over their persuasion speech. "The class is elaborated especially for women and the problems they are facing when attacked. There won't be any running or weight training. It will just be you and nine other women who all want the same; be better prepared for the one moment it counts."

"What do you say, Beautiful," Les squeezed her from behind and pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Would you do us the favor and take the class?"

Steph turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck crushing herself against his chest. "Of course I'll do it. That's a wonderful gift. You want me to become better but don't pressure me to something I'm not ready to do that is training with you. I feel self-conscious and inhibited here knowing you all are watching me and following my progress. Plus you always went overboard whenever I even hinted at thinking about training in the past. I think a class just for women at a neutral place is just what I need to feel comfortable. Thank you."

Steph stood up and hugged Bobby close, snuggling tight against his chest. "Thank you so much for this thoughtful gift."

"Anything for you, honey, you know that."

And like that it continued. Hector made Steph squeal over a pair of ruinously expensive Christian Louboutin pumps that looked like sin and that he picked out himself. Steph knew the elegant and exclusive brand by name but had never seen a pair of their shoes in person and was ecstatic. Zero surprised her with a gift certificate for a visit at Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor. She couldn't believe he remembered that she told him once on surveillance how much she loved the rides and roller coasters at amusement parks. Binkie asked her to accompany him to his sister's wedding and once she agreed, he gave her a gift certificate for a shopping trip at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. He planned to invest a little fortune in a customized tux and dress shoes for the wedding and wanted to be the person to buy her a dress matching her new pumps. Steph couldn't believe she'd walk the floors of Saks. The last of her many presents was a collective gift from Brett, Junior, Zip, Hal and Ram. They gave her a week-long vacation at Point Pleasant at a luxury hotel with private beach including complete spa treatment.

"And before you start to object," Zip pulled her in a hug and kissed her brow. "We want to do this. It's important for us. And don't worry about Rex or work. The guys and I will pick up your skips and your combat hamster will have a wonderful time here at Rangeman. You are working so hard, seven days a week. You deserve a week off and we want to be those who give it to you."

Steph looked at the five men, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth, and the hope and sincerity in their eyes made her swallow hard.

"Thank you. I don't know what to say," she eventually whispered with slightly watery eyes.

"No need to say anything," Junior pulled her out of Zip's arms. "Just relax and enjoy yourself while you are gone.

"Yeah, and as Zip said, don't worry about Rex. He can stay in the control room or the break room or I take him with me and he stays in my apartment. I promise I'll make sure that he won't miss anything," Ram whispered in her ear as it was his turn to hug her.

"Okay guys," Steph finally pulled back and squared her shoulders. "If you don't stop being so loveable I'm going to be a bawling mess," she chuckling wiped her eyes. "Give me a moment and I'll be right back with you."

Closing the door to the conference room behind her, Steph leaned back against it and took a deep breath. How could it be that she was blessed with such incredible friends? She gave them enough reason to constantly worry about her and nonetheless they were nothing but supportive and wonderful. Sighing, she went to the bathroom, took care of business and then splashed some cold water onto her heated face. She couldn't go on like this. It was time to grow up. She'd always be a stubborn person, but the way she behaved was childish to some extent and the men had proven again and again that her insecurities were out of place. She didn't treat her friends the way they deserved to be treated. That would stop today.

"Hey Tank," Steph greeted the mountain of man sitting alone in the control room.

"Little girl," he turned his head and gave her one of his dazzling smiles before focusing back on the monitors. "How are you? Did the pack overwhelm you with their presents? Come here and sit with me for a moment."

Steph looked at the chair he was offering her next to him and quickly dropped down on his lap.

"Make yourself at home," Tank laughed and hugged her gently.

"You knew about the gifts?"

"Sure. It's been the no. 1 topic in the break room for days. They fought over who would surprise you the most."

"Even if I wanted I couldn't tell you. Each on was special, amazing and unique. They were all way too expensive, but I didn't have the heart to tell the guys no. They all looked so excited."

"Good. Refusing their gifts would have hurt them."

"I have a question Tank and you have to promise to tell me the truth."

"Spill."

"This morning, Bobby said that you'd still be willing to buy me a company vehicle; I'd just have to ask. He also told me that Rangeman is already paying the highest possible insurance premiums and that buying me a car would be a tax-saving write-off object and increase Rangeman's profit. Is that true?"

Tank looked deep into her eyes so she'd see the truth behind his words. "It's all true. The offer is indefinite. I'm just waiting for a word from you and you wouldn't have to worry about being a financial burden. We are paying the highest premiums because of the nature of our job and providing you with cars would save us taxes and by that indeed increase our profit."

"I never looked at it from that side," Steph said more to herself than to Tank.

"Does that mean that we'll go car shopping?" The big man beamed all over his face.

"Yes," Steph nodded and smiled back at him. "Yes, I guess we will. Do you mind if I tell the guys? I don't have Christmas presents for them and I guess knowing I agreed to get a company car will make their days. At least according to Bobby it will take a load off their minds."

"Go and tell them," Tank gently pushed her off his lap. "I bet they'll immediately start to make suggestions. Don't let them overwhelm you. It's your decision which car you take and if it gets too much just tell me and you and I will shop on our own."

"Thanks, big guy," Steph leaned forward and hugged him. "You're the best."

Taking her time she walked back to the conference room, mulling over how she would tell her friends the good news. When she opened the door and stepped in, the guys all greeted her with big smiles. They had put the chairs back in rows in front of the huge plasma TV and were waiting for her to start another movie.

"Beautiful," Les sauntered over and took her hand in his. "Come sit with me. I saved you a chair right next to mine," he tried to pull her with him.

"Wait a moment, Les," Steph forced him to stop and turn around to her. "Guys," she addressed the assembled men. "I want to thank you again for all the wonderful gifts. You went way overboard and I love each and every single one of you for the thoughts you spent into giving me something special. Thanks so much. I don't have anything in return for you because truth is that I'm in a bad funk since Ranger is gone. For some reasons I don't want to explain his departure sucked all energy and joy right out of me and I'm really, really worried about him. Hence I didn't feel like going shopping and that is saying something about my state of mind." Steph looked into the face of Bobby, Lester, Ram, Cal, Hal, Junior, Zip and Zero and all the other men in the room and couldn't help the tear that trickled down her cheek. "You are all so wonderful and I love you so much. Instead of a gift for you I promise to be the best friend you can wish for and that from now on I'll be more serious about the dangers in my life. I will take that self-defense class Bobby and Les gave me and promise to ask for help if a skip causes me trouble instead of unnecessarily risking my life. In addition I just talked to Tank and agreed to a company vehicle so you no longer have to worry about me driving around in my POS car du jour. I hope this will help to ease your minds a bit," she smiled at them and wiped the tear away that hung at the edge of her jaw.

The bedlam that erupted once she was finished was ear-deafening. The men cheered and whistled and Steph was pulled from one set of arms into another. As Tank had predicted, they immediately started to call out car brands and discuss their pros and cons. The movie was completely forgotten, chairs were pushed aside so a table could be pulled into the middle of the room and someone fired up a laptop to check out makes and models. Steph stood to the side and could just shake her head.

"Hey honey," Bobby appeared next to her and wrapped her in his arms. "That was by far the best present you could have given them. Thank you."

"Oh, I think it's rather me that has to thank all of you."

"Hmm," Bobby put his chin on top of her head and held her close. "Let's call it a tie, okay?"

"'kay," Steph sighed and snuggled deeper into his chest. God, Bobby's arms were comfortable and he smelled wonderful.

"Ranger will be proud of you when he comes back."

"I hope so. But I'm not doing this for him," Steph pulled her head back and looked up into Bobby's chocolate brown eyes. "I'm doing this for all of you. To show you how serious I take our friendship and how much you mean to me."

Bobby smiled, leaned down and kissed her nose. "I know and as I told you earlier this day you are the most wonderful and special woman I know and I'm one lucky man to have you in my life. But now enough of that," he picked her up bridal style causing her to squeal in delight, "how about we sit down at that table and check out some cars before the guys place an order without conferring with you?"

It took the men and her a few hours, but when Steph was sure her eyes would cross if she had to look at one more car they had finally narrowed it down to three cute SUVs that would please her eye and fulfill the guys' requirements. The next day they would drive over to different authorized dealers and check out the cars in person. Steph forced a smile on her face seeing her friends' enthusiasm and tried to look happy.

"Already having second thoughts?" She suddenly heard Bobby's low voice in her ear, the smile in his tone obvious.

"No, not really. The decision is the right one. I just wonder how the salesperson will react and whether I should ask you to bring your medic gear when we'll invade their showroom with an army of battle-tested Merry Men."

Bobby slung his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. "Don't worry. I'm good at CPR."

The vibrations in her back told Steph that he was laughing at his own joke, but she couldn't help being worried.

"Hey," he squeezed her middle to get her attention. "You had a long day. I can see that you are tired so how about we collect all your gifts, say goodnight to the guys and I bring you home?"

"That sounds tempting. Would you like to share some Ben &amp; Jerry's with me once we are there? I think I need ice-cream after this afternoon and I'd like to have company for a little longer."

"Milady, I can't think of a nicer way to end a wonderful day," Bobby bowed with a flourish and started to gather her things while Steph tackled the odyssey of hugging and kissing everybody goodbye.

Half an hour later they were finally on their way to Steph's apartment. Bobby's Navigator was warm and cozy and he steered them safely through Trenton's wintery streets. Silence was filling the car. At a red light, Bobby turned his head to his best friend and saw her looking out of the passenger window.

"What's on your mind, honey?"

"Ranger," Steph sighed and looked over at him. "I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Now that the hustle and bustle of the day is over I'm overcome with concern."

"You have to trust that he is fine. He's the best of the best. I fought by his side on so many missions. Believe me when I say that he finds back doors where no one else would look for them."

"What if something went wrong? Do you know where the government sent him?"

"No honey, I don't know and neither does Tank nor Lester, but if something went wrong, trust him to do everything in his power to come back to you. That man loves you."

Steph turned her head back and leaned her brow against the window while watching the lights of the city passing by. She had a bad feeling and the further they made it from Rangeman, the darker the foreboding in her got.

* * *

_**A/N: Alright, now of course we face a problem. After all the reviews from the last chapter I'm spoiled and I want just as many for this chapter. Write away, Babes, even the smallest note is welcome :-)  
**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey Babes, thanks so much for your kind words and support. Everytime my cell phone dings with an incoming email a big smile turns up the corners of my lips and I can't wait to see what you left me. **_

_**Important:**_

_**To all of you who worry about Ranger. I promise by all that is holy to me that he will survive and get his HEA, but this story is labelled Romance/DRAMA for a reason. This chapter will take it up another notch, but I assure you it's the climax so hang on. Soon it will be over and we can all sigh happily with stupid grins on our faces.**_

_**Does anybody know whether there needs to be a disclaimer in EVERY chapter? Just to be on the safe side here it is: **_**_All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich._**

**_And now... here we go_**

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 5**

**December 26th, five o'clock in the morning, Trenton  
**

A piercing scream raced through the apartment, filled every room, and caused Rex to back out of his soup can and twitch his whiskers. In her bedroom Steph lay between her sweat-soaked sheets, her eyes wide open, and tried to get her bearings. She could feel her heart pumping wildly in her chest and her breath came in fast gasps. What a nightmare. Pulling herself upright, she took in the darkness surrounding her and fumbled for the switch of the bedside lamp. Light, she needed light to be sure she was safe. It had been Stiva's all over again; first the casket and then the kitchen cabinet, but this time Ranger didn't come to her rescue. Instead it was Stiva who opened the cupboard with a sneer on his face and a picture in his hand of Ranger's dead body.

"Nobody will come and get you, Plum," he cackled like a maniac. "Your hero is dead; **you** are **dead**."

Steph let herself drop back on her pillow and sobbed. The dream had been so real that the mortal fear was still paralyzing her body and her joints still hurt from being folded up in the small cupboard. Wiping her cheeks with her hands, she tried to take deep calming breaths and slowly got her sobs back under control until they subsided to the occasional sniff.

_Ranger. Where are you?_

The mere thought of the man she loved brought back a new gush of tears. Memories of the night before she fell asleep came back. Something was wrong. She couldn't name it, but a surge of darkness washed over her and her body was in blinding pain whenever Ranger entered her mind.

_Batman, I love you. You need to come back to me._

Steph crossed her arms over her eyes and once more started the routine of deep calming breaths. When she felt confident that she wouldn't lose it again, she removed her arms and dried her cheeks. She needed to talk to someone; someone who would take her seriously, who wouldn't brush aside her fears and foreboding. The clock on the bedside table showed half past five. It didn't matter. She wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway. Taking a last deep breath, Steph rolled out of bed and walked over to the bathroom to take a shower. The grime of the night had to go or she wouldn't be herself.

A shower, two poptarts and a coffee for breakfast later, Steph stood bundled up outside in the dark parking lot in front of her dug out POS car and eyed it speculatively.

"Remember, we have a deal. You behave and start without a fuss and we'll driver over to Rangeman where you can warm up in a snow and frost free underground garage the whole day."

Well, how did they say? 'Hope dies last'. It seemed this car would meet his maker sooner than expected. When no cursing and no other efforts on her side brought any results, Steph grabbed her cell phone, thought for a second and then dialed the control room.

"Rangeman," said a tired and grumpy voice.

Even dealing with potential customers these guys had no telephone manners. It was a shame.

"Woody, this is Steph. Good morning."

"Heya darling. Who pushed you out of your bed so early?" There, that sounded way friendlier.

"Who says I didn't stand up on my own to greet this wonderful day?" Steph quipped back. The instant pause in the line made her smile. Apparently, she had managed to confuse her favorite cowboy enough to be speechless for a second or maybe he had just a fried brain after a night shift of monitor duty. "Woody, I know it's early, but I need a ride. My car isn't cooperating and I need to talk to Tank. Any chance somebody could come over and pick me up?"

"Gimme a sec. Cal's coming out of the break room. Yo, Cal," Steph grimaced and quickly held the phone away from her ear as Woody hollered at drill-sergeant volume. "Your Angel needs a ride. You game?" Steph couldn't hear an affirmative, but a second later Woody was back on the line. "He's on his way, darling. Go back into your building so you don't freeze. I don't want you to catch a cold."

Woody could be such a thoughtful cutie.

"I know it's against the man code, but just between the two of us… you are a sweetie, Woody," Steph smiled as she stepped back into her apartment building. "One day you'll make a woman very happy."

"Let's hope so, by goodness! But until then… may I accompany you when you go car shopping today? My shift's over at eight and then I'm off for the next thirty-six hours."

"I'd be happy to have you by my side and you want to know why? Because you asked."

That caused Woody to laugh quietly. "I'll make sure the other guys mind their manners, too. Alright darling, I have to say goodbye. There's a call on the other line. See you soon."

"Bye, Woody."

Steph stood in the lobby and stared stunned at her phone. Woody had said goodbye; a Rangeman had said goodbye. Wonders never cease. But then again, these past weeks the guys had outdone each other in their efforts to make her feel loved and needed. She shouldn't be surprised that for her they'd even overcome their bad telephone habits.

When the headlights of Cal's Dodge Ram turned onto the parking lot, Steph stepped out of the building and made her way through the snow.

"Hey Angel," Cal got out of the cab, came around the front and drew Steph in a tight hug before pressing a kiss onto her cheek. "Get in the truck and warm up, sweetheart. I'll take a quick look at your car."

A few minutes later, the driver's door opened and Cal got in, accompanied by a blast of cold air.

"Twenty bucks it's the battery. We can hot-wire the motor and drive your car to Rangeman so Woody can take a look at it, but I'd feel better if we'd just let it sit here and I give you a ride. Al can tow it to the junkyard later and you get one of the Rangeman SUVs."

Steph looked out of the side window and sighed. She had no emotional connection to the car, it was junk after all, but just giving up on it was hard on her. She wasn't one to abandon things just because they didn't work properly anymore. Sensing her dilemma, Cal laid his hand on her left leg and rubbed her thigh.

"Hey, look at me," he waited until Steph met his eyes. "Don't feel bad. The car was already broken and unsafe when you bought it and the freezing of the past days put it over the edge. It's okay to turn your back on it and look for something new."

"What is it with you guys that you're all so perceptive this morning?"

"Must be the something in the granola Ella serves in the break room," Cal answered in dead earnest with his blank face firmly in place.

The two looked at each other deadpan. Steph tried, really tried not to move a muscle, but after a few moments her lips inevitably turned up. Cal's followed and eventually they started to laugh until tears were running down their cheeks.

"Thanks for the laugh, Cal. I really needed that."

"My pleasure, Angel. You are right; that felt good. How about we hit IHOP for breakfast?" Cal finally squeezed Steph's hand before wiping at the wetness on his face.

"I really need to talk to Tank. Do you know whether he's already up on the fifth floor?"

"He's out to an early meeting with a customer. He said he'd be back for the 0800 hours morning meeting, but after that I'm sure he'll have time for you."

"Well, in that case. I already had two poptarts, but there's always room for a few pancakes," Steph smiled at him, pushing her worries aside, and buckled up.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

**A few hours later in Tank's office**

"What do you want to talk about, little girl? I don't like the way you look; tired with dark circles under your eyes."

Steph had waited for the morning meeting to be finished and was now sitting in Tank's office on the leather couch with the big guy next to her holding her hand.

"I had a horrible nightmare," she leaned against his shoulder and intertwined their fingers. "It was Stiva all over again. At first I was locked up in the casket and then in the cupboard." Next to her Tank sucked in a breath. No Rangeman liked to be reminded of that day. "I'm often haunted by that dream when something is stressing me and I feel like I can't escape, but whenever I dreamt about it in the past Ranger came to my rescue and freed me from my confinement. This time he didn't come. Instead Stiva opened the cupboard door and showed me a picture of Ranger's dead body." When she felt that Tank got ready to say something, she quickly interrupted him and squeezed his hand. "Please, Tank, before you tell me that everything will be alright and that I shouldn't worry, listen to me. This isn't just me being frightened of Ranger not coming back. This feels real. Something is wrong with him. He's in danger. Every time I think about him indescribable darkness descents over me; my heart starts to hurt, my stomach cramps up and every cell in my body screams his name. This isn't just some stupid fear or a foreboding of things that could happen. Ranger is in mortal danger; right now. I can't explain to you how I know it; I simply know it. Everybody here always tells me to listen to my instincts; that they are infallibly. Every single one of these instincts is telling me that Ranger is losing his battle, that he needs our help. We have to do something. Please."

Tank leaned back into the cushion of the couch and rubbed his hands over his bald head and face before looking at Steph.

"I don't know where he is, little girl," he said in a defeated tone, his eyes showing the misery he felt over letting her down. "His mission is highly classified. He told you more than he told me. I don't even know whether he's alone or with a team."

"But there must be something that we can do. Somebody has to know something."

"His handler has all the details, but he won't share them with me. He's not exactly happy with Rangeman."

"Why is that?"

"Bobby, Lester, Ranger and I all have or had the same handler. An old general warming the seat of his chair in Washington way too long to still remember the toll it takes from you to constantly go out there into hopeless situations and fight your way back home. He thought and still thinks that every soldier is property of the US government without the right of self-determination or shaping their lives the way they want. I was the first to end and not renew my contract because I was needed here at Rangeman and the general fought me tooth and nails, even threatened to court-martial me. When the time of Bobby's contract was up and he told Washington he wouldn't renew it, the general sent him on a several month-long suicide mission that nearly cost him his life two days before his contract was finished. Bobby was a mess when he came back and I know he's still fighting the ghosts of that mission. Now Lester's contract is up for renewal and he wants to opt out as well. Over the past two years his missions have become more and more suicidal as though the general is aiming at getting him killed. Anyway, Les sent his notice a month ago and the general immediately informed him that his retirement wasn't approved and that he'd be called in front of the military court if he'd refuse to be on standby for his next mission. Apparently there is a loophole in his contract that nobody was aware of. The Rangeman attorneys are working together with one of the best JAG attorneys to help Lester get his right, but it will be a hard and dirty fight."

"That's horrible, Tank," Steph looked pale and her hands were shaking. "Is there nobody else who could know where Ranger is? He won't survive if we don't get him help. I'm hundred percent sure of that."

A knocking at the door made them both turn their heads. Tank could see that Steph was short of tearing up so he laid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side.

"Enter," he called out gruffly.

"Hey Tank, have you seen Beautiful? Cal says she's… Heya, Beautiful," Lester smiled over his whole face when he became aware of Tank and Steph sitting side by side on the couch. Behind him Bobby stepped into the office and immediately furrowed his brow when he saw Steph's facial expression.

"What's wrong, honey?" He squatted down in front of her and cupped her cheek.

"Yeah, Beautiful. What's wrong? You're looking like shit."

"Thanks, Les," Steph smiled at him sadly. "You are really good for a girl's ego."

"I just worry about you, that's all," Lester leaned over Bobby and dropped a kiss into Steph's curls.

"Gentlemen," Tank spoke up and immediately Bobby and Les took notice of his stony face and pulled chairs over to the couch. "We have a problem. Steph here is convinced that the bossman is in immediate danger and needs our help and we have no knowledge where he might be."

Bobby and Les both looked at Steph and their faces showed nothing but seriousness. She was so glad. If they hadn't taken her seriously, she hadn't known what to do.

"What makes you think he's in danger, Beautiful? Did you see something in your dreams?"

"No, not really. Last night I had a nightmare of that afternoon when Stiva had me locked up. Whenever that happens Ranger eventually frees me from my confinement. This time he didn't come. Instead Stiva showed me a picture of Ranger's dead body. But that isn't the reason I'm so convinced that something has happened to him. The whole day yesterday I felt off, but with everything that happened at my parent's place and then here I had no chance to relax and concentrate on the feeling. After you left last night, Bobby, and I was alone for the first time that day, I was immediately overcome with such a despair and darkness that it sucked the breath right out of me. All I could do was sit down and breathe against it. Ranger entered my mind and suddenly a stabbing pain hit my heart. It was awful. My stomach cramped up and it felt as though every cell in my body was screaming his name. I tried to calm myself and repeat your earlier words that Ranger was fine, that he'd come back, that there was no reason to freak, but the despair and pain didn't go away. Eventually I fell asleep and had that nightmare. When I woke up I couldn't help but cry; not just because of the dream, but because I **knew** that Ranger's dying. As I told Tank I can't explain why I'm so sure of it, I just know it. You have to believe me."

"We do, honey," Bobby grabbed her hand and rubbed the pad of his thump in calming circles over the back. "We always tell you to listen to your instincts for a reason, because right up to now they've always been hundred percent dead on. If you say Ranger is in danger, then he is."

"I told her about our problems with the general and that we won't get any information from him," Tank rubbed Steph's arm and met Lester's eyes. "So the question is how do we find out where they sent the boss?"

"We call our contacts," Lester said with a grim face. "Let's bring in Cal, Junior and Brett. They have extensive contacts, too. Do we know the security level of the mission?"

"Highest classification. Just a very small group of people will know about it."

"What about the continent he's on?"

"No, nothing."

"So we have to count on our luck and hope that one of our friends saw my cousin or heard anything," Les nodded.

Bobby straightened up, pulled Steph off the couch and into his arms. "Try to keep calm, honey. We know how much you love Ranger. We'll look under every rock and do everything we can to get his whereabouts."

Steph nodded against his chest and absorbed his strength. "What can I do to help?"

"Nothing, little girl. I will round up Cal, Junior and Brett and then the six of us will get on the phone and call every soldier we ever met who owes us. This will take a few hours and there's nothing you could do. You'd just be in our way."

"But I can't just…," Steph turned around to him, but was interrupted by Tank's panlike hand landing on her shoulder.

"Listen to me, Steph. We believe in your instincts and we'll do everything in our power to get the needed information, but you have to leave us alone for that. You'd just be a distraction because we'd constantly worry about you. The guys and I need to keep a cool head and focus and we can do that best when you aren't here. Go, round up the men off shift and let them take you to car dealerships. I know they are all crazy about going with you and it will keep you busy for a while. As soon as we have anything to share we'll call you, promise."

Steph wanted to object, but Tank had called her by her first name and she knew how serious he was when he did that. She didn't want to leave the building, wanted to stay close, but at the same time she wanted to do everything in her power so the guys could work in peace.

"Alright, Tank. I'll go. Call me with any news you have no matter how small, okay?"

"Promise, little girl," he drew her in a hug and squeezed her.

"Trust us, Beautiful," Les was the next to hug her close. "We won't let you down."

After feeling Bobby's arms around her and his lips on her forehead, Steph looked at them one more time before leaving Tank's office and shutting the door behind her.

* * *

**December 26th, 1630 hours, on the other side of the world**

"It's getting dark again, sir," Akroyd looked up at the sky barely distinguishable from the edge of the crevice, his voice weak and hardly audible.

"I know."

"Nobody's looking for us, sir. We will die here." There was no whining; it was a statement, plain and simple.

Ranger stared at the rock wall across from him and contemplated how to react, but there wasn't much he could offer in terms of objection. They were losing the battle against the cold. Kaminski hadn't regained consciousness; all their lips were blue and cracked; their pulses were weak and slow; their breathing was flat and labored, and the last remains of their energy was long depleted. Focusing became harder and harder and more and more often they drifted off. Taking a shuddering breath, Ranger squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again hoping to clear his mind. To his right, he heard Skip's wheezing breathing. The young man's mental strength was impressing. He didn't feel anything below his navel, but nonetheless he wasn't giving up, even pulled himself over to Kaminski to give his unconscious comrade as much body heat as possible. Twenty-four hours, that was the time that had passed since they fell into the crevice. They had rested some, but the severe cold was gnawing at them and the reaper was standing in the corner watching the life slowly leaving their bodies. Ranger guessed it was five degree. With a little luck they'd have twelve more hours before they'd inevitably die.

_Babe. My time's coming; I can feel it. I wished I'd been braver and allowed myself to be loved by you. I won't give up, I promise. I'll fight till my last breath, but I don't know how to get us out of here._

Painfully leaning over to his side, Ranger reached for the radio equipment and pulled it over onto his lap. His fingers were frozen blue and no longer loose enough to operate the small buttons, but somehow he managed and finally held the mouthpiece in front of his lips.

"Hawkeye, this is Vulture one. Are you receiving me? Over…. Hawkeye, this is Vulture one. Come in, please."

Ranger cleared his weak voice and set the radio on a different channel.

"Hawkeye, this is Vulture one. Come in, please."

"It's futile, sir. Nobody hears us."

"Nothing's futile, Akroyd. We won't give up."

"But, sir…"

"No buts, soldier. We owe our friends and families to fight till our last breath and that's exactly what we will do." Focusing back on the task at hand, Ranger pressed the button at the mouthpiece one more time. "Hawkeye, this is Vulture one. Are you receiving me? Over."

Nothing. Nobody answered him, the only sounds in the crevice their labored breathing and the static noise from the radio.

"Come over here, Akroyd," Ranger pulled himself out of the way. "I want you to huddle as close against Kaminski as you can. I'll spoon you from behind. We need to share our body heat if we want to make it through the night. Skip?"

"I'm hanging on, sir."

"Good. Men, I know it's tempting to give in, fall asleep and die, but that's the coward's way out. Let's see to it that we survive this night. Tomorrow is a new day and a new chance."

* * *

**December 26th, half past two in the afternoon, back in Trenton**

Steph hurried down the hall of the fifth floor and burst into Tank's office. She'd been gone for five hours and the big guy hadn't called her once. When she came to a stop, Tank, Bobby, Lester, Cal, Junior and Brett all looked at her with pained eyes, their frustration and anger thick as fog in the room.

"No," Steph sobbed and grabbed her chest where her heart was shattering into thousand pieces.

"Little girl, I'm sorry. We've called everyone we know, but nobody has heard anything."

"Noooo."

The despair washing over Steph was overwhelming. Black dots started to dance in front of her eyes and her legs were no longer able to carry her. Bobby caught her just in time before she could collapse to the floor.

"Schhhh, honey. It's okay. I've got you."

He cautiously picked her up, carried her over to the couch and sat down with her on his lap. Gut wrenching sobs were filling the room and the agony in the men's eyes showed how they suffered with the woman they all loved.

"Ranger's dying and we can't do anything to help him," Steph cried. "How am I supposed to go on without him? I can't do that. He's all the world to me."

The men didn't know what to say. They wouldn't insult her smart mind by telling her something along the lines of 'we don't know whether something is wrong' or 'everything's going to be alright, you'll see'. Steph deserved better than that and so far her instincts had always been dead on so why should she be wrong this one time her future happiness was on the line? Tank sat down next to Bobby and pulled Steph over onto his lap, tightly enveloping her in his arms as he let her soak his shirt with tears.

"I'm so sorry, little girl," he squeezed her into his chest. "I'd move the earth and then some to ensure the bossman's safe return, but I've reached the end of my rope. I don't know what else to do."

"But I do," said a gravelly voice in the corner of the room.

Everybody turned their heads and looked at Lester.

"Beautiful," he stepped forward and squatted down, grabbing Steph's hands. His face was grim, his voice low, but his eyes held a fire that burned deep in his soul. "I want you to listen to me. I love you. I'd like to say it's brotherly affection, but so sue me, it's not. That day I met you at that redecorating job I was smitten with your looks and naïveté. I mean, you really thought we were going to paint walls. I couldn't understand why my cousin exposed you to the danger, but I had fun watching you being horrified. From that day on I enjoyed every minute I could spend with you. I got to really know you and your beauty inside and out and it didn't take long and you held my heart in your hands. There's nothing brotherly about my love for you, but I know that you don't reciprocate my feelings and that's okay. You are the most wonderful friend I can wish for and I wouldn't want to miss our friendship for a single day. I hope I will grow old by your side and that one day we will sit on the porch swing of my cousin's and your house and laugh about all the jokes we pulled in the past. But should I die because of what I'm about to do, I hope that you will go on with all the force that's in your nature and keep me in your memory as the clown and best friend I always wanted to be for you."

"Les," Steph snuffled and freed one of her hands to wipe the tears off her face. "What are you talking about?"

Across from her, Lester smiled sadly, pressed a soft kiss into the palm of the hand that he still held and closed her fingers over the kiss before straightening up. Steph didn't understand what was going on as she watched him taking his cell phone from the clip at his cargoes, dialing a number and holding it to his ear.

"General?" He finally spoke into the phone. "This is First Lieutenant Santos. I want to make you an offer. I'll renew my contract in exchange for an immediate rescue mission for Captain Mañoso."

"Nooooo," Steph shouted, jumped up and tried to fling herself at Lester, but Cal grabbed her before she could crash into Les' body. "Noooo," she sobbed as she wrestled to get free all the while listening to Lester giving up his life and future to the general for the piece of information they needed.

* * *

_**Oh my, Lester offers the ultimate sacrifice to bring Ranger back to Steph. Let me know how you feel and what you think; I'd love to hit the hundred reviews mark.  
**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hey Babes, it's time that Ranger gets rescued and who is better suited for that job than... well, you have to read if you want to know :-)**_

_**Thanks for all the alerts, favorites and most of all your wonderful reviews. My cell didn't stop dinging after I posted the last chapter and I was in heaven.**_

_**Disclaimer is the same as always: If you recognize them, they belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 6**

"No, **you** listen to **me**," Lester's voice was low and freezing cold as were his eyes. "You say there's a loophole in my contract? I don't think so. I will fight you tooth and nail and will make sure that a trial will cost you dearly. You declared war on me with your refusal of my notice and I'm ready for the fight. You may be a general, but you aren't battle-scarred. Much in contrast to me; I'm a highly decorated First Lieutenant with several Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star to back me up. My honor and loyalty is beyond question. Whether you want to admit it or not I can cause you harm. The only chance for you to avoid an extensive lawsuit and the inevitable damage to your reputation is to accept my offer."

"I think you forget whom you are talking to, Santos," the General barked at the other end of the line. "You so much as fart the wrong way and I will squash you like a moth. Your life belongs to me."

"Wrong. My life is mine to rule and you are just some paper-pusher who likes to abuse his position. You want me to renew my contract? Then set a search and rescue mission for Mañoso in motion. **Now**."

Lester was staring at the ground completely focused on the conversation and neither saw nor heard his friends gasping at the tone he was using. The general might be an ass, but he was still a general and the military chain of command had to be respected. Threatening him and calling him names wasn't exactly showing respect.

"Mañoso is dead. He and his team missed their rendezvous," the general said coldly.

"Where is he?" Lester kept his icy demeanor.

"That's classified."

"Stop bullshitting me. I have Top Secret clearance. **Where is he?**"

"Badakhshan mountains, Afghanistan."

"Where exactly?"

"At their last check-in they were on the descent to the Pakistani border."

"What about the backup plan? There's always a time determined for a second rendezvous."

"That's in a few hours."

"You will organize a search and rescue team and have them accompany the helicopter for the pickup. In case he won't make it they can immediately start to search for him."

"There's severe weather in the mountains. I won't risk any more men. Mañoso and his team knew what they were engaging in."

"So you deliberately let them die. I will get you for that even if it's the last thing I'll do."

"What the fuck, Santos. Don't you think JSOC has better things to do than organizing SAR missions for lost soldiers?"

"I think in contrast to you the Joint Special Operations Command has an interest in rescuing their most capable asset. Get the fuck on the phone and call them."

"Four years. You will renew your contract for four years." The voice of the General was hard, giving nothing away.

"You get two years. I'll be thirty-seven by then. At some point I'll be too old to be of any use for you."

"You'll always be good as cannon fodder, Santos. Four years, that's my last word."

Lester pulled the phone away from his ear, threw his head back and roared his frustration into the silence of the room. The son of a bitch was blackmailing him and there was nothing he could do about it because time was of essence. There was simply no room for negotiations. Seconds passed in which Les stared at the ceiling and tried to rein back the brute rage coursing through his veins.

When he finally felt that he had his beast under control, he put the cell back to his ear and spoke with a deadly voice, "Four years in exchange for Mañoso's life. Call the officials and organize an immediate search and rescue mission."

"I want that in writing, Santos."

"You'll have a corresponding letter on your desk within the next sixty minutes and I expect hourly reports from you."

"It's nighttime in Afghanistan. Nothing I can do now, but confirm the renewal of your contract and I'll have a team in the air with the first ray of sunlight."

Without another word, Lester disconnected the call and looked around the room. Steph. He needed to see her to feel centered again.

"Where's my Beautiful?"

"Cal forced her outside with him. We heard her screaming and fighting in the hall, but it's been quiet for the past few minutes so I guess he took her either to the conference room or to Ranger's office."

Wordlessly, Les turned towards the door to go after them, but Bobby jumped up and grabbed his arm.

"Don't, man. Give her some time to wrap her head around what you've just done. You shocked us all, but she's not trained to deal with the involved onslaught of emotions."

Broken-hearted, Les tore at his hair and finally rubbed his face. "Ranger and his team are in Afghanistan; Badakhshan mountains."

"Fuck," Bobby cursed. "Hell's antechamber. How many men are with him?"

"I don't know. The general didn't say, but my gut tells me it's a small team; four, perhaps six men."

"They most probably started from Jalalabad. I can call Murphy again. He can try to get the coordinates from Ranger's last check-in. Fuck the authorities. We'll fly down and search for the bossman and his team on our own," Junior growled into the heavy silence that had once again descended over them.

"That would be like looking for a needle in a haystack," Les replied without turning around, his eyes glued to the floor as he vocalized what they all knew. "Besides we'd be too late. Steph's convinced that my cousin is dying. I quickly did the math. An hour for the Rangeman jet to be ready for takeoff, then fourteen and a half hours flight time including a refueling stop to reach Kabul, from there it would be another hour with the chopper to Jalalabad and who knows how long from there to where they assume Ranger. All taken into account, we are talking about twenty hours it would take us before we'd actually be on the ground and searching. If he's really dying we are running out of time. No, the general is our only chance."

"Do you trust him?" Tank sat on the couch and stared at the man he was calling one of his closest friends.

"No, not for one second," Lester answered deadpan, "but he knows if he fucks this up, he's a dead man."

At that moment the door opened and Steph stepped in, closely followed by Cal who had his hand on her shoulder.

"Beautiful," Les called out and caught her just in time as she flung her arms around his neck and hung on to him as though he was her lifeline. "Oh my beloved Beautiful," he whispered in her ear and held her tight. "It's okay. Everything's gonna be okay."

"No, nothing's okay," she croaked into his neck.

When she let go of him, Les loosened his arms and let her take a step back. Her face was blotchy, her eyes red and puffy from crying, but to him she was as beautiful as ever.

"Les," Steph took his hands in hers and looked up into his troubled green eyes. "I may not be in love with you the way I'm in love with Ranger, but I do love you with all my heart and putting Ranger's life over yours is no option. The sacrifice you are willing to make is noble, but I don't want to choose between the two of you, I want you both. Please, don't make that deal with the general. It will get you killed and I need you in my life."

Lester looked down into the endless depth of Steph's sapphire blue eyes and lifted his hands to touch her face. God, he loved her so much. Lost in thought he brushed some wayward curls behind her ears and smiled when they immediately sprung free again.

"I know you dislike your hair, but I love it," he tenderly stroked Steph's cheek. "It's wild and irrepressible just like you."

"Les…"

"Don't, Beautiful. Don't talk. Just let me hold you for a moment," he whispered and pulled her back against his chest, enveloping her with his strong arms. "Do you know what my happy-thought is?" He asked quietly after a while.

"No, what?" Steph tried to look up at him, but he squeezed her close to his chest.

"Making you happy, no matter how, that's my happy-thought," he whispered in her ear. "One day I will inevitably die and whether it's tomorrow, in a year or in ten, whether it's in a car accident here at home or on a mission in some godforsaken country, is irrelevant as long as I played a part in your happiness. That is important to me, Beautiful, and nothing else. I want you to have a chance of a future with my cousin, but for that we need to get him home. Tank, Bobby, I, we'd all go in a heartbeat to rescue him, but he's at the back of beyond and we'd need about twenty hours to reach his last known location and then who knows how many hours or even days of search to find him. He'd die before we reach him. At the moment it's half past midnight over there and nothing can be done, but in six and a half hours, as soon as the first ray of sunlight will light up the sky, the general will send out a search and rescue team to find Ranger. That's his best chance of survival, his only chance."

Steph leaned back and finally looked up at him, her eyes swimming with fresh tears. "I can't accept the price you have to pay for this. There has to be another way."

"There's none, Beautiful."

"There's always an alternative," Steph replied, the fire in her waking up. "We just haven't looked closely enough."

"Beautiful…"

"Nooo!" Steph burst out and pulled back with a jerk. "Listen to me, Lester Santos! You might be resigned to your fate, but I am not." She angrily wiped at her eyes. "This general is abusing his power and has to be brought down. I want you to call your lawyers and explain the situation. Listen to what they have to say. I won't let you sacrifice yourself for Ranger and me because then there'd always hang a shadow over us. Do you really expect me to be happy if I know my happiness was bought with your life? That's not the way I work and you know that. I'd mourn you every day for the rest of my life and there'd be a place in my heart that would never be whole again. Don't tell me you want that for me."

"No, I don't," Lester answered quietly, his eyes back on the floor. He looked so lost the way he was standing in the middle of Tank's office, his shoulders slumped, his whole posture defeated. "You forget, just because I renew my contract doesn't mean that something automatically has to happen to me."

"But there's a good chance," Steph replied tenderly, cupped his face and forced him to look up into her eyes. "Tank told me how the missions the general sent you on have become more and more suicidal. That pompous ass doesn't care whether you survive, but I do. If, and that's a big if, your cousin changes his mind and enters into a relationship with me, then I need you by my side as counterbalance to his seriousness. I need you for emergency donut runs, for pizza and meatball sub parties, for late night B&amp;J attacks and for devious contraband missions."

"Beautiful, are you aware that you only need me for food related activities? Is there something you want to tell me?" Lester crooked his mouth into a lopsided grin.

Steph narrowed her eyes at him, but eventually decided to give him the break he obviously needed. "That's because I have a single-tracked mind and I'm starving right now," she stuck her tongue out at him.

"You were out with the guys and they didn't feed you?" Lester looked incredulous.

"They wanted, but I hadn't heard from Tank and forced them to bring me back to Rangeman."

Steph saw the moment Les needed another hug just before he reached out for her and drew her back into his arms.

"How about we strike a deal?" His voice rumbled in his chest as he held her close. "I guess you'll want to wait here for any news about Ranger. That means we have a long day and night ahead of us and need to eat to keep our strength. You grab one of the guys and make a Pino's run while I call the Rangeman lawyers and tell them what's going on. The general expects a written confirmation of the extension of my contract before he's willing to spring into action. Maybe there's a way to place a loophole in this letter to shoot the claims of that asshole down."

"I like the sound of that," Steph leaned back and smiled up at him. "And once I'll be done eating, I'll conduct a thorough search on that general. Perhaps he has skeletons in the closet that we can use to blackmail him. If he thinks he can control your life, he's in for a surprise. I'll fight him tooth and nail. He won't know what hit him when I'm finished with him."

The afternoon passed in a blur of activities. With the help of the Rangeman attorneys Lester wrote down the basic points of his call with the general, detailing exactly what the general insisted on and the classified information he divulged without authorization. After he faxed the letter to the general's office, Lester immediately got a call from the man himself, demanding what the fuck he thought that is. This time, Les was prepared. He got into a heated argument with the general who eventually lost control and betrayed himself by not just threatening Lester with death, but also promising him that none of his friends, Mañoso included, would make it home if he didn't indulge the general's every whim. With a demonical sneer Les recorded the call in the presence of Tank, Bobby, Cal, Junior and Brett who all agreed to be on standby as witnesses. The general was fucking with one of their own and they'd defeat him with his own means. Nobody took on Rangeman and walked away unscathed.

Night had descended over Trenton, but the Rangeman building was alive with activity. Meanwhile even the last man knew that something major was going on. Those who had witnessed Steph's breakdown and screaming fit in the hall earlier in the day guessed that it had to do with the bossman and informed the men who weren't on shift. The cubicles were all manned; every man was on deck in a silent display of support. At half past nine, a soft knock made Tank look up from the reports he was evaluating and focus on Lester and Bobby who came in and quietly closed the door behind them.

"The general just called. It's 0700 overseas and the Pave Hawk with the rescue team just took off. Two Apaches are accompanying them in case they make enemy contact. They'll fly to the rendezvous and if Ranger and his men aren't there, they'll move on to their last known position and start searching from there. Do you think we should wake her?" Lester looked over at Steph's peacefully sleeping form on the couch.

"Yes, we promised to keep her in the loop, but Bobby," Tank nailed Rangeman's medic with a serious gaze, "I want you to have a sedative ready to hand in case they don't find him or worse recover his dead body."

Bobby nodded and padded the front pocket of his cargoes. "I'm prepared. It will knock her out within seconds so we can get her out of here, but let's hope that it won't be necessary. I'm not sure how we are supposed to keep her going should Ranger not survive."

"We will tackle that hurdle when the need arises until then we are going to assume that the bossman makes it out alive."

Lester went over to the couch and knelt down where Steph's head was resting. His heart felt heavy in his chest. What he wouldn't give to be in his cousin's place. Yes, she would mourn his death, but she'd have Ranger by her side who would help her through the heartache. Lifting his hand, Les tenderly brushed some curls behind her ear that had fallen in front of her face.

"Beautiful," he called quietly all the while stroking her cheek. After a moment he felt her breathing pattern change. "Hey sleeping beauty, it's time to rise and shine."

"Lester?" Steph blinked. Her eyes were a deep blue and drowsily looked up at him. Lester could see the exact moment the happenings of the day washed over her and panic set in. "Les, what happened? Talk to me."

"Calm down, Beautiful," he smiled at her sadly. "Everything's fine so far. I just wanted to let you know that the general called and that the search and rescue mission has started."

"Okay," Steph slowly sat up and stretched the kinks out of her back. "What do we do now?"

"We wait, honey," Bobby sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "There's nothing else we can do."

"I suck at waiting."

"How about I give you a little something so you can go back to sleep?" Bobby squeezed her and leaned over to press a soft kiss to her temple.

"No, that stuff makes me dizzy and I want to keep my mind sharp in case there's something that needs to be done."

"Then how about we step out so you can mingle with the guys for a while? Everybody's on deck to show you their support. They worry about you and will be more than happy to keep you distracted."

It took Bobby a little more cajoling, but in the end Steph agreed, took his offered hand and let herself be pulled off the couch.

"That's my girl," he smiled encouragingly and enveloped her in his arms. "Now let's go and see what the guys are doing," he let her go, turned her around and with his hand at the small of her back stirred her out of Tank's office.

* * *

**December 27****th****, 1030 hours, Badakhshan mountains close the Pakistani border**

The snow-covered mountains glittered in the sunshine causing the pilots and crews of the helicopters to pull down the visors on their helmets. This was nature's beauty at its best, the sight presenting itself to them breathtaking, but they were on a search and rescue mission and the severity of the situation weighted heavy on them. Four brothers-in-arms were missing and it was their job to find them. The tension in the helicopters was palpable. During the night the temperature in the mountains had risen slightly and it had snowed for hours on end. Whatever footprints had been left from Ranger and his team were now covered with a fresh layer of snow. That in addition to the glistening sunlight made it impossible for the men of the SAR team to make them out. The helicopters were flying low over the ground searching the predetermined grid for any signs of the lost men, but with every square they marked off the hopes of the crew were falling.

"Fly over that last sector again," the co-pilot of the Pave Hawk pointed into the direction to his right.

"Did you see something?" The pilot asked, radioing the change of course to the Apaches and turning his helicopter around.

"I don't know. I have this feeling that we are missing something and as long as there's a chance that it's our men we have to check twice to be sure."

Down in the crevice Ranger opened his eyes and blinked confused. Snowflakes were covering his lids, falling into his eyes, and his sight was blurry. Where was he? At first he drew a blank and couldn't come up with an explanation, but then the memories came back and he shut his eyes. He was tired, so tired. A nap sounded just fine. Resigned Ranger let his mind drift off just to chastise himself and fight back moments later. He couldn't quit, he had promised his Babe to come back to her, but his willpower was exhausted and clinging to life became harder with every second.

_I'm sorry that I'm failing you, Babe. I wish I had told you how much I really love you.  
_

Lingering somewhere between life and death, Ranger lay in the snow and tried not to give up. After what seemed like an eternity a faint noise made him open his eyes once more and listen closely. He tried to move, but he no longer felt his body. Then he heard it again; a distinct roar that grew louder with every second. Scraping up all the willpower that was left, Ranger managed to lift his arm and grab Akroyd next to him.

At first he just managed to utter an undefined sound, but after weakly clearing his voice Ranger was finally able to call the name of the man next to him. It didn't help. Akroyd stayed motionless. No, he couldn't be dead. Please, don't let him be dead.

"Skip?" But once again Ranger was greeted with silence.

Closing his eyes again he tried to catch his breath. The mere attempt to talk was an exertion he was barely capable of.

In the meantime the noise over him had grown loud enough to fill the whole crevice and echo from the walls. That sounded like… No, that couldn't be… Ranger looked skywards and tried to focus his eyes, but failed miserably. Through the blur he could make out the shape of an oversized fly slowly moving over the edge of the crevice. The sight and the knowledge what it meant made his eyes burn with tears.

"Help," he whispered. "We... are here."

The helicopter vanished from his sight and Ranger could have screamed. He needed to do something. They were searching for them. The unthinkable was happening and they were granted a chance to survive. He just had to attract the attention of the helicopter crew. Wheezing in painful shallow puffs, Ranger gritted his teeth and fought against the numbness in his body. He had to move. He had to get to his backpack. Every inch was a battle, but eventually he had his backpack pulled over to him. Blindly fumbling around, he found what he was looking for. In his hand he held a smoke grenade. He wouldn't be able to throw it away and there was a good chance that the slightly toxic smoke would suffocate them if it didn't rose skyward, but he had to do it. It was their only chance. Pulling the pin off the grenade and pushing it down his legs to his feet, Ranger watched the red smoke billowing out of the can and slowly creeping up the wall of the crevice.

_Please, God, don't let it be too late,_ Ranger prayed right before darkness closed in and he passed out.

The Pave Hawk was already a good chunk away searching the next sector when one of the pararescuemen stationed in the open side doors looked up the slope and narrowed his eyes. That couldn't be. Pushing his visor up, he squinted his eyes, but it hadn't been his imagination. They had found them, they had really found them. Excited he pushed the button on his com unit.

"There's smoke. I see red smoke up the slope. Turn around."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

There was someone with him, he felt movement to his left, felt someone touching him. Ranger fought against the thick fog in his mind and eventually blinked his eyes open. Through the blur he saw the fuzzy shape of a man leaning over him, gently working his hands over his body.

"M… m…," Ranger tried to speak, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate.

The man kneeling next to him looked up, smiled and laid his hand on Ranger's shoulder.

"Sir, Staff Sergeant Billings. I'm a PJ. My team and I will get you out here. Trust me, you are in good hands."

"M… my… my men," Ranger murmured with a weak voice.

"What?" Billings leaned over his face and tried to understand what Ranger was saying.

"My… my men… first. Take… my men… first."

Billings straightened up and gently squeezed Ranger's shoulder. "Don't worry about your men, sir. We are taking good care of them. You will all get out of here."

Ranger gritted his teeth and moved his head to his right. An orange plastic stretcher balanced by a man hovered midair halfway up to the edge of the crevice and another PJ was working on Akroyd next to him. With immense effort, Ranger grabbed Billings arm and got his attention.

"Heatherman… has a back injury…," he panted before continuing, "and Kaminski… has a broken skull... He… hasn't regained consciousness... once…"

"Sir," Billings interrupted him. "It's okay. We will fly you and your men to the next field hospital where the doctors will take care of you. You need to calm down."

"They… have to survive. They're… so young."

"Sir, it's okay," Billings told him, his voice soothing but firm. "It's over. You can relax now. Let us take care of you and your men."

"I… need to… come home… I need to… see Babe."

* * *

_**Alright, Lester has the general's threats on tape, he has Tank, Bobby, Cal, Junior and Brett as witnesses and Ranger and his men got rescued by Air Force Pararescue Jumpers. I hope you all feel better now :-) Any wishes for the next chapter? :-))  
**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**First of all sorry for being so late, but this chapter was really difficult to write. I loved to read all your comments and wishes after the last chapter and wanted to fullfill them all in this chapter so I cudgeled my brain how to do it; how to have Steph meet Ranger, how to bring the general down, what to do with the rest of the team. In the end I got totally stuck in my mind and suddenly didn't know what to write at all. Complete writer's block. Aaaargh. I started again and again only to delete what I'd written so far. Eventually, WizardsWoman bounced ideas back and forth with me - thanks for that, girl - and I saw light at the end of the tunnel. **_

_**This chapter isn't what I had in mind first. It just tackles Ranger's condition and lets you know how he's faring. But as you will learn Steph is close and in the next chapter they'll finally see each other.  
**_

_**I don't repeat the disclaimer again - it's the same as in the previous chapters :-)**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 7**

**January 1st, Ramstein Air Base, Germany**

It was half past two in the morning and nightly calm had spread over the intensive care unit of the Ramstein Air Base hospital. Tank walked down the hall from the bathroom and listened to the soft sounds of his footsteps. Two and a half hours ago, the doctors and critical care nurses on duty had clinked glasses to welcome the New Year and celebrate a little. Now all the lights were dimmed and nothing was audible aside from the soft squeak of the soles of his boots on the linoleum floor. When he passed the front desk, Tank nodded to the two nurses who were quietly working there, watchfully keeping an eye on the monitors belonging to the patients in need of their expert care.

"Don't you want to go back to your hotel and get some sleep, Mr. Dubois?" The younger one of them asked Tank. "You know there's nothing you can do here."

"No, I promised Stephanie to keep an eye on things and that's what I'm going to do. It was the only way to get her to leave."

The nurse smiled and got back down to work. She knew when it made sense to argue and when it was better to keep silent. The quiet black giant with the perfected blank face wasn't the kind of man whose decisions were up for discussion.

After reaching the end of the hall, Tank stepped into the room on the right and took in the sight of his unconscious friend. Nothing had changed; the light above the bed was still dimmed throwing dark shadows in the room, the heart monitor was beeping its calm, constant lullaby, and Ranger was lying motionless in the same position he'd been in when Tank left.

"Hurry up, man. It's time you wake up," Tank said gruffly and sat down in the chair he'd vacated not ten minutes ago. "Little girl is anxious to wish your sorry ass a happy new year."

Rubbing his huge hands over his bald head and face, Tank sighed. This had been a close call, the closest he could remember. Thanks to the skills and expertise of the field doctors at Bagram Air Base and the intensive care he got once he arrived at Ramstein, Ranger would survive, but he dreaded telling him the price he and his men would have to pay for the failed mission. His friend wouldn't be a happy camper, by no means at all. The chirping of his cell pulled Tank out of his thoughts and made him reach for the phone clipped to his cargoes. It was a text from Cal and simply said 'SitRep?' asking for a situation report.

'No changes. RM?'

'All good. Steph?'

"Hotel w/ L&amp;B."

Tank put the phone back and smiled. Steph had rolled her eyes in the face of the clipped conversation he just had with Cal. It worked for them, but whenever his little girl was involved the guys overcame their monosyllabic self and morphed into chatterboxes. Of course Steph would dispute that, but he knew his men and saw the shifts in their behavior when the curly haired woman was around. So many of them had changed over the past years; some of those changes were small, others left Tank speechless, but they all were positive.

"You better get your head out of your ass," Tank told the motionless figure in front of him, "or someone else will move in and I swear I will support them. She's such a wonderful woman and deserves to be wholeheartedly loved. If you can't give her that love, then set her free and let someone else give it to her."

Leaning back and crossing his feet at the ankles, Tank closed his eyes and allowed himself to doze off. The nurse was right. Of course there wasn't anything that he could do, but he needed Steph to get some sleep so he didn't hesitate to promise her to keep watch over her Batman.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

Pain. That was the first thing Ranger became aware of when he slowly started to emerge from the depths of his unconsciousness. His whole body head to toe was a sole pain. Fighting against the fog filling his brain, he tried to determine where he was, but his perceptiveness was sluggish at best. Something was covering his mouth and nose that much he could say, far away in the distance there was a monotonous beeping, and the faint sawing noise to his right could be a snore which would mean he wasn't alone. Where was he and why? Why did he hurt so much and why was he so foggy-brained? Someone moaned and immediately the snoring next to him stopped.

"Rangeman?" In a split second Tank was up on his feet and leaned over his friend.

He intensely watched Ranger's face, but not a single muscle moved. The boss was lying in the same position as ever with the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose and his eyes closed. Then Tank heard it again, a low moaning coming from the man in front of him as though he was in pain.

"Hang on," he put his pan-like hand on Ranger's shoulder and squeezed gently before pressing the call button for the front desk. "I think he's coming around," he told the nurse who rushed into the room just seconds later. It was the older one of the two women and Tank was glad that she had answered his call. He valued experience when it came to medical expertise.

"Captain Mañoso?" The nurse watched him closely, but Ranger didn't seem to react. "If you can hear me squeeze my hand," she told him, taking one of his hands in hers.

Trapped in his small nebulous universe Ranger tried to obey the order, but it was hard. He was in pain, his thinking was sluggish, his body didn't want to cooperate, and yet he instinctively knew that his collaboration was important.

"Squeeze my hand, Captain. I know it's hard, but you can do it," the nurse insisted adamantly, perfectly hitting the right mix of being commanding and soothing.

Seconds passed by in which she and Tank watched closely his hand lying in hers and then it happened. The movement was feathery, just a twitching of his fingers, but Ranger proved to them that he was indeed aware of his surroundings.

"Welcome back, soldier," the older woman smiled and squeezed his hand. "You have quite the ride behind you." She checked his oxygen level and the readout of the heart monitor. "I know you are probably in pain, but I'd like to delay your next dose a little longer to give you the chance to open your eyes. Your friend here next to me would like to see you awake." After giving the IV a scrutiny, the nurse turned to Tank. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Talk to him; be insistent that he opens his eyes. If he can squeeze my hand, he can do that, too. I put you in charge of him."

"If I were you I'd get those peepers open before she returns," Tank turned back to the bed after making sure the nurse had left the room. "That woman's smile's nice enough, but I fear she will resort to drastic measures if you don't make an effort."

Sitting back down on his chair, he watched Ranger's motionless form and wondered what to tell him that would entice him to make the last yards to the finish line and wake up.

"Little girl will be so happy when I tell her that you're finally awake so do us all a favor and come around. It's about time."

There, his Babe should do the trick, but what else to tell him. It was moments like this that Thank wished he was more of a talker.

"She's been great these past weeks, you know? Very tough; kept going even though she was struggling. Bobby and Lester gave her a gift certificate for a women self-defense class for Christmas. She loved it and promised to take the class. That means she'll finally get training. And then she threw us all for a loop when she decided to accept a company car. The next day the guys immediately took her car shopping before she could change her mind." Tank looked at the man lying in front of him and cursed. "Fuck, Rangeman, you know I'm not good at this. Open those damn eyes and be done with it."

Tank leaned forward, propped his elbows up on his thighs and rubbed his face. He knew it was a confession of failure, but he didn't have good bedside manners and being in charge of someone bedridden gave him the creeps. He rather dealt with combat, flying bullets and knives slicing through the air than being reminded of how fragile life could be. The thought of how he could end up as invalid, depending on the care of others, scared him and he turned a blind eye to the fact that one day exactly that could happen to him in his line of job. Eventually, the shadow of a movement made Tank look up and brought the first smile to his face since Steph told him about her fear six days ago.

"Rangeman," he stood up, leaned over the bed and put his hand on Ranger's shoulder. "It's good to see you awake again."

Ranger's eyes were dull and unfocused and Tank could see that he still wasn't completely with him, but it was a start.

"I guess this entitles you to your next dose of painkillers."

Ranger grimaced and painfully moved his right hand towards his face.

"No, don't," Tank stopped him when he tried to remove the mask. "Because of the smoke grenade that you ignited you have a severe smoke poisoning. You need the extra oxygen or your blood oxygen level instantly drops and sounds an alert."

As though to prove Tank's point, Ranger started to cough and wheeze and seconds later a piercing alarm went off.

"Captain Mañoso," the nurse immediately ordered his attention when she rushed into the room shortly after that. "You need to relax to get the spasms under control. I'll program the machine to merge some Theophyllin with the oxygen. Take deep, slow breaths… that's right… calm breaths… give the drug a chance to take effect and your bronchial tubes time to relax."

It took him about ten minutes, but eventually Ranger had his breathing back under control and appeared a lot more alert than before that episode. The nurse walked over to the bathroom and came back with a wet washcloth that she used to wipe away the sweat that had accumulated on Ranger's brow.

"I will tell the doctor that you are awake now," she finally said as she checked the oxygen level and reprogrammed the machine. When she turned back to Ranger, she smiled kindly, laid her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it gently. "It's good to have you back. You had us worried for a while."

Without a sound she slipped out of the room and left Tank and Ranger behind, looking at each other.

"She's right," Tank said, pulling the chair closer to the bed and sitting down once again. "It's good to see your sorry ass awake again. For a while it looked as though we would lose you."

"Babe?" Ranger croaked with a weak voice. There were thousand questions buzzing through his mind, but this was the most important one. He needed to know that his Babe was okay.

"She's fine. Did you hear what I told you earlier?"

"Company car?"

"That's right," Tank laughed quietly. "I knew you'd like that."

"How?"

"She came to me and asked. I had to promise her that we are already paying the highest insurance premiums as it is and that buying her a car would save us taxes and by that increase our profit. That set her mind at rest and she agreed."

Ranger let that sink in, but felt too weak to smile. How long had he tried to convince her to accept a car from him and she'd always refused. He'd like to know what changed her mind. The two men were silent for a while, each of them lost in their thoughts. Eventually, Ranger had to ask.

"Where am I?"

"Ramstein. The field doctors at Bagram needed two days to get you and your men stabilized for the flight, but then a C-17 brought you here to get you the best care and treatment possible."

"How… how did we get out of that crevice?" Ranger wheezed between two smaller coughs.

"You can't remember?"

Ranger shook his head no.

"A team of pararescuemen had the order to find you when you didn't turn up at the rendezvous for the second time. They started searching at your last known location close to the peak and worked their way down the mountainside where they assumed you. You must have heard the helicopter because you had the brilliant idea to ignite a smoke grenade. It worked, the smoke wafted up the walls of the crevice and eventually one of the PJs saw it, but it was pure luck. They were already searching the next sector and it was by sheer chance that the man looked up the slope. Anyway, your idea was great and most of the smoke crept up the walls, but the rest accumulated at the ground of the crevice where you and your men were lying. That's the reason why you all suffered a smoke poisoning."

Ranger mulled over that for a few minutes before asking the question he dreaded most.

"What about my men? How are they?"

Tank leaned back in his chair, causing it to creak, and let his blank mask fall over his face. He knew this moment was coming, but he had hoped he'd have a bit more time to find a way to soften the blow. They had all survived, but as things stood they'd all face a medical discharge; a slap in the face for any full-blood soldier.

"They are all alive, man, and that's your credit."

That wasn't remotely enough information and one look at Ranger's face confirmed that. His boss and best friend might be out of commission for the moment and lying in a hospital bed, but he was a force of nature all the same, his superior aura still commanding respect and complete disclosure. Before Tank could feel constrained to explain his answer in more detail the door opened and a man in his mid-fifties in medical scrubs stepped in, looked around the room and finally settled his eye on Ranger.

"Captain Mañoso, my name is Riley Chance and I'm the doctor on duty tonight. The nurse told me that you woke up and immediately had an asthmatic episode. I'm sure that was unsettling," he walked around the bed, checked the numbers on the screen monitoring the blood oxygen level and then controlled the setting of the oxygen device. "I see that your levels are back to normal. That is good." He checked the readout of the heart monitor. "Your pulse is strong and your heartbeat is back to calm and steady. I like what I see, Captain. Can you tell me your full name and where you live?"

"Ricardo Carlos Mañoso, Trenton, New Jersey," Ranger said with a breathy voice.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Ramstein, Germany."

"Let me guess, you friend helped you with that," Doctor Chance quickly glanced at Tank. "What day is it today?"

"I'm not sure. The last thing I remember happened December 26th."

"That's okay. Let me get you up to speed. Today we have January 1st and it's four o'clock in the morning. Your extraction was five days ago. The first two days you spend at the field hospital at Bagram Airfield where you had the first of two cardiac arrests. Then a medevac plane brought you here and you were admitted to the ICU where you suffered your second cardiac arrest. Ever since then you've shown a recurring distinct arrhythmia. You have a broken tibia and fibula. It's a complicated fracture that we will have to repair surgically, but for reasons you will learn later we haven't done more than reducing and stabilizing it. Our head surgeon will discuss the reasons and your options when you'll meet him later in the day. In addition to what I've listed so far you suffered a severe hypothermia, extensive frostbite with 2nd and 3rd degree burns and a severe smoke poisoning. The odds were stacked against you, but you didn't give up. Instead you fought for your life and now we are talking with each other. Stick to this attitude and we will see about downgrading you tomorrow or the day after if your cardiac activity and breathing remain stable. Any questions?"

Ranger was exhausted; first the talk with Tank, now with the doctor, but there were questions that needed answers.

"What about my men? I need to know that they are alright."

The doctor looked at him for a moment before sitting down on the edge of the bed and folding his hands in his lap. He understood a commander's need to know whether his men were okay, but he was liable to medical secrecy. That was a dilemma he often found himself in.

"Two of them are already downgraded. You and the fourth one are still here in the ICU. I can't tell you more because of patient confidentiality. From what I heard you saved their lives, Captain, so rest now and be assured that they get the best care possible. I'll send the nurse so she can top you off; you must be in quite the pain by now."

"No, no drugs," Ranger shook his head.

"Right now that's not your decision. Your body needs rest to heal further so you will accept whatever the nurse will give you."

Pushing through his exhaustion, Ranger glared at the doctor.

"That won't help you, Captain," Riley Chance said with a kind smile. "I'm dealing with men like you on a daily basis; I'm immune to death glares."

"The painkillers make me weak and dizzy. I need to be alert; I need my strength," Ranger said with a weak voice, sounding more and more drained by the minute.

"Listen Captain, your heart may be stable for the moment, but it has quite the ride behind it and needs rest. The same goes for your breathing. I can hear you getting winded. In addition the hypothermia and frostbite resulted in a severely compromised circulation that even got cut off in parts. Now that your blood flow is returning your vascular system reacts with strong pain and hot or cold pin and needle sensations. Your whole body is working at its limit to heal. Whatever we can do to support it, we will do. End of discussion."

The doctor watched Ranger's face and saw how he was fighting against the sleep threatening to get the better of him.

"Stop fighting it, soldier. You are out of danger. This is an Air Base in Germany, far away from the hell you left behind. Nothing can happen to you here. There's no need to stay in fight-or-flight mode," he said, giving the man in front of him a sympathetic smile. "I'll get you that painkiller now and you'll take a nap."

Ranger adamantly shook his head no.

"More questions," he whispered weakly.

"No, not tonight. You can talk with my colleagues later."

With that the doctor stood up and walked to the door. He had the handle already in his hand when he turned around and threw a last glance at Ranger.

"Whatever the future will bring in its wake, Captain, always remember that you and your men have survived for a reason. It's your job to make a difference, whether in combat or civilian life."

With those cryptic words Doctor Chance turned back to the door and stepped out of the room.

"What was that about?" Ranger looked suspiciously at Tank who involuntarily glanced away. "Talk," he commanded feebly.

"No," Tank answered, his eyes back on Ranger, his voice calm and steady. "You will wait until you could speak either with the head surgeon or with Bobby. They're the ones with the medical expertise and will be able to explain exactly what is going on."

"Bobby is here?" Ranger asked, immediately distracted, the surprise obvious on his face.

"Yes. He and Lester took little girl back to the hotel shortly after midnight."

"What the fuck, Tank," anger flared up in Ranger's eyes giving him a boost of energy. "Babe is here? How could you bring her here? You have a standing order not to inform anyone if something happens to me until I'm either back or dead."

"Well, asshole," Tank growled, matching the heat in Ranger's words. "If it hadn't been for little girl, you'd definitely be dead so suck it up. She and Lester are the ones responsible for your survival so you better show them respect and a little gratitude or I swear I will take care that your leg isn't the only broken limb in your body."

"Explain."

"December 26th Steph came to me in the morning and told me that you were in mortal danger; that she couldn't explain how she knew that you were dying, she just knew it. Her instincts were screaming and the night before she had dreamt of you. Bobby, Lester and I took her seriously; so far her spidey sense had always been dead on. So we sent her away, I ordered Cal, Brett and Junior into my office and together the six of us called all the contacts we know in the attempt to get your location or at the very least the continent you were on. Nothing worked; nobody had seen or heard about you. When Steph came back and learned that we hadn't accomplished anything, she broke down. It was sheer torture. Lester wasn't able to stand by and watch her suffer so he made a decision, called the general and offered him the renewal of his contract in exchange for a search and rescue mission for you. We were at an impasse and he knew that the general was our only chance to find you. Eventually, that asshole blackmailed Santos into re-upping for four years. Your cousin agreed; the rest is history as they say. The general called JSOC that ordered the rescue mission; the PJs found you and brought you and your team to the field hospital at Bagram Air Base."

Tank watched Ranger to see whether he'd grasp what had happened, how Steph was responsible for his rescue and what sacrifice Lester had made for him, but Ranger's blank face was firmly in place. The moisture glistening in his eyes was the only giveaway that showed how fragile his condition was at the moment and that he indeed understood what had happened.

"Babe," he finally whispered with a hoarse voice.

"That's right. It was your Babe who made us aware of the danger you're in and who set everything in motion. Without her, your dead body would lie in that crevice never to be found and we and your family would mourn your loss with no body to burry. So are you going to watch your attitude when she'll visit you later?"

Ranger nodded his head yes temporarily at a loss what to say.

"Good. I won't stand idly by and watch you treating her badly. Things have changed over the past weeks. I see it as my personal mission to take care that little girl is happy, no matter whether it's with you or with someone else, got it?"

"Yes, got it," Ranger answered slowly, the short bout of fight leaving his body and exhaustion once again overcoming him as he watched Tank's face. "What has you so irritated?"

Before Tank could answer, the door opened and the elderly nurse from earlier stepped into the room, holding a tray with three syringes.

"You'll soon feel better," she said friendly as she injected the first drug into the port at Ranger's arm. "The painkiller will help you sleep. Doctor Chance said that you aren't happy about needing them," she kept on talking while taking the next syringe, "but you have to allow your body to heal. I'm sure you don't want to unnecessarily prolong your stay in the ICU, but that's exactly what will happen if you refuse to accept the drugs."

By the time she had injected the third syringe, Ranger's eyes started to droop.

"That's right," she smiled and stroked his shoulder soothingly until his eyes were completely closed. "Get some sleep and feel better when you wake up." After a moment she turned to Tank. "He'll be out for at least four to five hours, then my colleague from the dayshift will give him the next dose. They're not just painkillers but also meds that support his cardiac activity and circulation. Go back to the hotel and take a nap. You've done enough for your friend. It's time that you think of yourself."

Tank wanted to object, but he couldn't deny the fatigue filling his body. He hadn't slept in days, just dozed a little here and there, and the exhaustion was becoming overwhelming. As hard as it was to admit, but he wasn't twenty anymore and his body needed more rest than it used to.

"Stephanie will understand," the woman continued, watching him carefully. "She was worried that your friend would be alone when he wakes up for the first time. Well, he wasn't. He has regained his consciousness and you were there for him. Allow yourself some rest. You won't be of any use if you collapse."

"I don't collapse. I'm not even close to my limit," Tank answered indignantly, a true sign for his tiredness if he behaved like a petulant child.

"Everybody collapses if they overexert themselves just long enough," the experienced, elderly nurse squared her shoulders and became commanding. "Now stop objecting. I want you to go to your hotel and rest. No backtalk, you hear?"

Tank met the woman's stare right on and whether he liked it or not, there was a resoluteness in her eyes and voice that demanded from him to obey.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. We have your cell number at the front desk and will call if the need arises."

Admitting defeat, Tank threw a last glance at Ranger who was fast asleep before turning around and leaving the room. The nurse was right. He needed some shut-eye, badly. The thought of the soft, warm bed at the hotel quickened his steps. Two years back he wouldn't have cared to sleep in an uncomfortable chair or on a hard floor, but the life as civilian had made him soft in parts; another thing he'd never acknowledge openly. The drive to the Ramstein Inn on the Base was a matter of minutes and soon enough he was standing in Steph's room to check on her and shook his head when he saw Bobby and Lester in bed with her. They had their own rooms, but apparently Steph needed them with her or they didn't want to leave her alone. This or that way, Tank was glad that she was safe and sleeping peacefully between them. Before he could turn around and leave both Bobby and Lester's eyes shot open and immediately checked for threats.

"Ranger?" Lester asked quietly after he reassured himself that Tank was the only intruder in the room.

"Woke up and we talked a little. He's in a rough shape, but holding his own. How's little girl?"

"Didn't want to be alone so we promised to stay," Bobby answered lowly.

"Let her sleep; her body needs rest. They knocked Ranger out for the next few hours."

They all froze when Steph mumbled in her sleep, rolled over and snuggled into Bobby.

"Alright," Tank whispered, careful not to raise her out of her sleep. "I'll go to my room and get some zzz. Wake me up when Steph is awake."

A minute later he lay in his bed and couldn't help the smile that spread over his face. Things were on the up and up. Ranger was conscious and his blood oxygen level and heartbeat remained stable after he'd overcome his breathing trouble. Later in the day the doctors would tell him about his prognosis. That would be another hurdle they had to tackle, but that was later. For now Tank was filled with relief. Steph would be so happy when she'd wake up in a few hours and learn that her Batman had finally come around. He could already feel her arms enveloping him out of sheer joy and damn him he'd enjoy every second of it. With that thought and a smile on his lips, he let his mind drift off and a deep, restful sleep claim him.

* * *

_**For those who are interested in detail or want to broaden their horizon: The hospital right on the Base as I have it in mind in this chapter doesn't exist. The wounded soldiers who are flown in from the Middle East are brought to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl which is a thirty minutes drive from the Ramstein airfield where they land. From what I learned during my research a new hospital is built right on the Air Base that will be called Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center. It's supposed to be in operation in 2022 and will reduce the travel time for the wounded soldiers to five minutes from the airfield. The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is the biggest American hospital outside the United States and the Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center will be even bigger.  
**_

_**Enough of that... **_

_**I hope you liked this chapter and would be happy about some words of encouragement so the next chapter will hopefully be easier to write. Steph and Ranger will finally meet - that much I have planned. And don't worry about the general and your other wishes. Most of them I will fullfill. Now let's hit the 155 reviews mark... :-)  
**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Babes, you rock! Your reviews for the last chapter were exactly what I needed after having such a hard time. In fact they pushed me so much that I couldn't stop writing and this chapter is nearly twice as long as the previous. :-)**_

_**You know the disclaimer. If you recognize them, they belong to JE.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 8**

"Beautiful," Lester crooned and smiled when he heard Steph's breathing change. "I know you are awake, Beautiful" he pressed a soft kiss on her brow. "It's two PM; time to rise and shine."

"Uuuugh," Steph groaned and snuggled into Lester's warm body who lay next to her propped up on one of his elbows. "I'm tired."

"I know, but believe me you want to stand up," he smiled and rubbed her back.

"Why?" Steph mumbled into Les' chest.

"Tank, Bobby and I have a surprise for you, but to hear it you have to get up."

"Tank?" She blinked drowsily. "Wait… Tank?" Suddenly she was wide-awake and pushed Les over as she abruptly jumped out of bed. "What surprise? Where's Tank? Is something wrong with Ranger? Why is it so late?"

The three men in the room burst into broad laughter. Steph looked at them and immediately was in front of Rangeman's second in command.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the hospital? Did something happen? Is he alright?"

"Calm down, Beautiful," Lester laughed as he came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. "Your decision, Tank," he addressed the big guy in front of them with a smirk on his face. "Do you want to tell her now or does she have to shower and eat first."

"Dammit, tell me what's going on? Why did you let me sleep so long? You knew I wanted to be back at Ranger's side in the morning," Steph started to get irritated and pulled at Lester's arms encircling her.

"Little girl," Tank put his huge hands on her shoulders to hold her still. "The guys didn't wake you because I told them to let you sleep in. You needed the rest. And I'm here at the hotel because around four in the morning the bossman came around; we even talked a little. The nurse kicked me out afterwards. She gave Ranger a cocktail of drugs that immediately caused him to fall asleep and to be honest I needed some shut-eye, too."

For a second or two Steph just stared at him. She couldn't believe her ears. Ranger was conscious; he was back.

"Oh my God!" She shouted out, jumped into Tanks arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. "Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod. He's awake." Steph laughed and cried simultaneously as she clung to the big guy. "Of course you needed sleep. I'm sorry I was so selfish and asked you to stay. He's awake. He's really awake," she cheered and squeezed Tank so hard that he let out half groan half laugh.

"Little girl, ease up. You are suffocating me," he chuckled as he held her close.

"What did he say? Is he alright? Was he in pain? Was his heartbeat okay? Did he get enough oxygen? Did the doctor tell him about his leg?" Steph fired one question after the other at him.

"Breathe, Steph," Tank tried to calm her and helped her down so she was standing in front of him. With a smile on his face he pushed her wild hair out of her face and cupped her cheeks so he could be sure to have her full attention. "As expected he was in a rough shape. He immediately had an asthmatic episode, but held his own. After he pushed through that his heartbeat went back to steady and his oxygen level returned to normal. The doctor gave him an overview over his injuries and the condition he's in, but no details for which I was thankful. It would have been too much information at once."

Steph nodded that she had understood. "Good. It's good he didn't tell him more. I want to be by his side when he learns the news."

"Then how about you shower and get ready? After we've found us something to eat we'll go back to the hospital."

"Let me just throw some clothes on and I'm ready to go."

"No, little girl. You can't constantly neglect yourself. I let you get away with it the past three days, but that will stop now. You will take a relaxing shower, find something fresh to wear and then we will take you out for a nutritious lunch. No discussion."

Steph narrowed her eyes at Tank and got ready to fight him, but before she could lay into him a thought buzzed through her mind. Ranger had recovered consciousness. That meant he was about to learn what had happened to his men and how his own future would be affected by his injuries. He would need her support to get through the heartbreak and for that she needed her strength. Tank in his wisdom was just watching out for her, taking care that she was prepared for the struggles ahead.

"Okay, big guy," she conceded. "I will do as you wish. Sorry for gearing up for a fight. You are just looking out for me."

"Today and for always, little girl," he pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back. "You concentrate on the bossman and let me take care of you."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

One and a half hours later Steph, Tank, Bobby and Lester stepped out of the elevator onto the floor of the ICU and immediately run into the head surgeon Dr. Wheeler.

"Ah, Mr. Brown," he shook Bobby's hand, "Stephanie, Mr. Dubois, Mr. Santos," he nodded at them. "I'm just coming from your friend. I wanted to talk to him about his injuries, but he's fast asleep after having a rough morning. You'll be here for a while?"

"Yes, we'll stay with him for the next few hours."

"Good. I've been in surgery all day and have to make my round, but I'll be back later. Do you want to accompany me to the Privates Heatherman and Akroyd?"

"Yes," Bobby turned to Steph and gave her a hug. "I'll talk to Skip and Akroyd and be right back. You go ahead and sit with Ranger."

Steph nodded and watched Bobby and the doctor walk over to the stairwell. As soon as they had learned who Ranger's men were, Bobby had gone to them, introduced himself as Ranger's employee and medic and offered them his help with the medical jargon and their diagnoses. It went without saying for him that he'd support them; Ranger wouldn't want it any other way. Skip and Akroyd gladly agreed, relieved to have someone on their side in the jungle of information they found themselves in.

When Steph, Tank and Lester stepped into Ranger's room a moment later one of the intensive care nurses was standing at his bedside, reading the monitors and making notes.

"Hello Agnes," Steph greeted her with a smile and immediately went to Ranger's side. "We just met Dr. Wheeler and he told us Ranger had a rough morning. What happened? Is he alright?"

"Don't worry, Stephanie. He's back to stable. He got really agitated earlier when he woke up and as a result he had an asthma attack and a rather severe arrhythmic episode, but the doctor could stabilize him with a bronchospasmolytic and a fast working anti-arrhythmic agent before it could get out of hand."

"But he's okay now?"

"Yes, he's fine. The whole thing weakened him and he fell asleep shortly after that. Once he wakes up I'm sure he'll be overjoyed to see you."

"Why was he agitated? He's the epitome of strength and calm. He doesn't do agitated."

"It was an adverse reaction to one of his painkillers. We immediately swapped it for a different compound."

Steph pulled one of the chairs over to Ranger's side, took his hand in hers and started rubbing soothing circles on its back.

"Hey," she smiled at him. "What do I have to hear, you lost your famous control and I wasn't there to witness it."

The nurse chuckled quietly.

"I'll leave you alone," she finally said after checking the IV. "You know the rules; don't become frightened should the heart monitor sound and odd beat from time to time. We're having a close look at it at the front desk."

Steph nodded and thanked her before focusing back on the man in front of her.

"He looks worse than yesterday," she said more to herself than to anybody else.

"You heard the nurse, Beautiful," Lester soothed her, standing right behind her watching his cousin. "Everything's alright. He got winded and his heart lost its rhythm, but they got it under control. He's on a different drug now and once he wakes up and sees you his engine will dance the mambo for completely different reasons."

"Haha, very funny, Mister."

"He's right, little girl," Tank chimed in with a grin. "No matter how blank his face will be, the heart monitor will give him away."

Steph looked over her shoulder at the two men behind her and stuck her tongue at them.

"You were right about letting her sleep in," Les told Tank while he grinned down at her. "The shut-eye did her a world of good. We have our old feisty Steph back."

When Bobby returned twenty minutes later, Steph, Tank and Lester were playing cards at the foot of Ranger's bed.

"How are the guys?" Steph immediately turned around to him.

"As good as can be expected under the circumstances. Skip's a tough cookie. He has such a long road of recovery ahead of him and could still end up in a wheelchair, but he refuses to be depressed about it. I admire him."

"And Akroyd?"

"He takes it hard. The Army's his life." Bobby pulled Steph out of her chair, took a seat, tugged her down on his lap, wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I try to make him see that there's a whole world waiting for him to be taken by storm, but for the moment he has shut down."

"I will go and talk to him," Steph turned around and searched Bobby's eyes for objections. "I may not be able to change his mind, but he'd have a little company and wouldn't feel so alone."

"I think that's a great idea, honey. I know that Skip's missing you. He asked whether you'd come around today."

Steph gave Bobby her cards and looked over at Tank. "You'll send me a text when Ranger wakes up?"

"Sure, little girl. Don't worry. As soon as he opens his eyes my cell's in my hand."

Satisfied, Steph stood up and left the room. Two doors down she stepped into the room where Kaminski was lying, sat down in the chair that stood next to his bed and squeezed the hand of the unconscious man in front of her.

"Don't think that I've forgotten you," she told him quietly while rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. "I had a late start and now I'm on my way to your comrades Skip and Akroyd, but I promise I'll stop by later and sit with you for a while. Maybe you are happy to hear that Ranger regained consciousness. You know what that means? It's time for you to come around, too. I want to know what color your eyes have and whether you heard all the nonsense I've told you so far."

For the past three days Steph had visited Ranger's men every day. She'd sat by Kaminski's side and told him about Rext, her family and her life in Trenton before she'd moved on to Skip and Akroyd and talked to them. Nobody was expecting it from her, quite the contrary, but Steph felt that now that Ranger couldn't take care of them himself that they were her responsibility. She'd fill the void he left behind until he'd be able to take over because if there was one thing she knew about the man she loved it was that he cared about the men subjected to him. He would want someone looking out for them. Squeezing Kaminski's hand a last time, Steph stood up and left the room. There was a young man one floor down who needed a little happy and she already had an idea how to give it to him.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"Tank?" Ranger's tired voice made the heads of the three men playing cards abruptly turn around.

"Bossman, good to see you back among the living," Tank smiled and immediately grabbed his cell phone. "Let me send Steph a text that you are awake."

"She's here?"

"Of course. She's seeing Skip and Akroyd at the moment."

Ranger stared at his second in command and tried to grasp the information. He felt as though his brain was made of cotton balls and that just fueled the anger simmering deep inside him. Turning his head to the other side, he saw Bobby and Lester standing next to his bed looking down at him with a smile playing around their lips and it aggravated him even more.

"What are you gaping at? Don't you have better things to so?" He snapped. "If you are all here, who the fuck is taking care of Rangeman?"

"I'm hurt," Lester complained with puppy dog eyes, his right hand over his heart. "Aren't you happy to see your favorite cousin?"

"Shut the fuck up. You and your childish behavior have been a thorn in my side for a long time. I don't know why the hell I bother with you. Talk. Who is taking care of the Trenton office?"

"Cal is heading the security and bond enforcement part of the company and Woody's taking care of the clients," Tank eventually replied drily causing Ranger to look back at him away from Bobby, Lester and the door. "I'm in constant contact with them and everything's under control. They are doing a very good job."

"That remains to be seen. Any new contracts?"

"Do you remember what I told you last night about being an ass?" Tank asked in return, narrowing his eyes at his friend.

For a moment the two men stared at each other, nobody willing to give in, but Ranger was lacking the strength for a mental power struggle and eventually broke the eye contact.

"I don't know what you are talking about," he answered harshly.

"Oh yes," Tank growled in response. "You know damn well. I told you I wouldn't take up with that shit and I meant it."

Unnoticed by the two of them Steph had silently entered the room and was standing behind Bobby and Lester surprised at the chilly atmosphere hanging in the air.

"You are overstepping a fine line if you are threatening me," Ranger said quietly, his expression cold as he eyed Tank.

"Fuck that. If you don't change your attitude right now, I will make good on my promise and start by breaking your fingers."

"Hey, stop," Steph quickly spoke up and pushed herself between Bobby and Lester. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Steph, you wait outside for a moment. Santos, Brown, keep her company. This is between the fuckhead and me." Tank's tone left no room for arguments while he nailed Ranger with a cold stare.

"Come on, Beautiful," Les wrapped an arm around her and tried to pull her with him. "Let's go down to the cafeteria and check out the cakes they offer. Whatever has their panties in a bunch they have to fix that on their own."

"But…"

"No but, honey," Bobby helped Les to turn Steph around and stir her out of the room. "Let's give them a little space."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tank snarled as soon as the door closed behind them. "I told you what Steph and Lester have done for you and you ignore that completely in favor for your damn business? Not to mention your shitty behavior towards your cousin."

"May I remind you that it's your business, too," Ranger scoffed.

"Yeah, but in my book it's not more important than my friends and family."

"That's why I'm the CEO and you're just the second in command. You don't have what it takes to be the leader."

"Fuck that, asshole. The only thing I'm lacking is your arrogance. I'm keeping this company together and help the men to excel in their work while feeling comfortable and at peace. Your military leadership style may warrant good business results, but it offers no quality of life, no companionship and no personal development. Have you taken a closer look at your employees lately? Hal has overcome his shyness and has become a valued part of the team, Cal is no longer a loner but mingles with the other guys, Ram has finally gotten over his dirty divorce with the help of his colleagues. Your employees are no longer just very effective workers but friends that support each other and I'm proud to have played a small part in that. I don't know what your problem is, but you need an attitude adjustment and you need it now before Steph returns."

Ranger glared at him and breathed against the tightness building in his chest. He needed to keep calm if he didn't want to have another episode like earlier.

"I don't want her here," he finally growled. "The standing order is clear. Whenever something happens to me you keep your trap shut until I'm either back or dead. Now get her the fuck out of here and back to Trenton."

"Like hell I will. This woman is the reason that you're alive and have a future to look forward to. Last night was the first night I could convince her to go back to the hotel. Before that she'd spent** every minute** either by your side or at the side of your men. We could barely get her down to the cafeteria to eat something. You'll get your act together and be nice to her or I can't be held responsible for my actions. And just to be clear; once you are better you'll set her free as graciously and humanly as possible so someone else can show her what true love means, get it?"

"The fuck I will," Ranger snarled angrily and immediately started to cough. He desperately tried to relax and work against the sudden tension in his bronchial tubes, but every breath got harder to take and with every passing second it felt as though he got less air into his lungs.

Immediately Tank's posture changed from hostile to concerned and he pressed the call button for the front desk.

"He isn't getting enough air," he told the nurse when she rushed into the room a moment later. The information was unneeded since the alarm at the oxygen meter was already blaring and Ranger was convulsing on the bed, his lips turning blue as he fought not to suffocate.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"I will go back," Steph pulled out of Lester's arm and turned back towards the elevator.

"No, Beautiful, don't. Ranger and Tank have some things to settle and we are better off if we stay away from them."

"But why were they so hostile? That's not the Tank and Ranger I know. Something is wrong and I need to go back and help them sort it out."

"Steph, honey," Bobby took her hands in his and squeezed them, effectively keeping her from leaving. "Believe me Ranger wasn't himself when he woke up. That can be because of the meds he's getting or it can be indicative of PTSD. Whatever the reason give Tank some time to set him straight. We don't want you to get hurt by something ruthless that Ranger says."

"Ranger? Ruthless to me? Do you even hear what you are saying there?" Steph eyed the two men in front of her with a furrowed brow. "No, I can't believe that he'd behave like that towards me."

"Beautiful, please stay with us. Do it for me."

Steph's eyes switched back and forth between the two men pleading with her. She didn't want to give grief to them, but every instinct in her was yelling that she was needed upstairs.

"I'm sorry, guys. Really. I don't want to cause you sorrow, but my spidey sense is telling me that I should be at Ranger's side. He needs me and whatever is going on with him, I'll get to the bottom of it. It's the least I can do after everything that he's done for me."

Bobby and Lester both looked at her with pained eyes, but didn't object.

"Okay," Lester eventually nodded with resolve steeling his posture, "but Bobby, Tank and I will stay in the room with you just in case things turn ugly."

With a smile on her face, Steph took his hand and pulled him after her towards the elevator. The moment she stepped onto the floor of the ICU her stomach dropped and her heart started to flutter in her chest.

"Something's wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Bobby and Lester both looked around, instantly on alert, but Steph didn't answer. Instead she quickened her pace and rushed down the floor leading to Ranger's room.

"That's right, Captain… deep breaths… the bronchospasmolytic will work any second… you won't let this gain the upper hand over you; not on my watch… let the pressure of our hands guide your breathing."

The sight representing itself to Steph when she opened the door was frightening. Agnes and one of her colleagues were holding a blue-lipped, wheezing and convulsing Ranger upright, supporting his back, while calmly talking to him, guiding his breathing. Sweat had built on his forehead and his eyes gave away the panic he wasn't allowing himself to feel. Without thinking Steph sat down on the edge of the bed, grabbed both his hands and squeezed them.

"Look at me Ranger," she ordered while focusing on his eyes. "You can do it. Focus and breathe with me… in… and out… that's it… come on, you can do it."

It took a few minutes, but slowly the number on the oxygen meter started to climb and the erratic wheezing filling the room made way for a more controlled breathing.

"Very good, Captain. You handled this episode better than the last one," Agnes finally praised when she and her colleague helped Ranger back down onto the mattress. "Stephanie, that was great work. Your presence made a huge difference." She reprogrammed the oxygen device and then turned to the bathroom. "I'll get a washcloth so you can freshen up." A moment later she came back with the wet cloth and handed it over to the man lying in the hospital bed. Ranger was thankful. It might be a small chunk of independence to take care of that himself, but it was independence nonetheless.

"It will become better," Agnes compassionately squeezed his arm when she took the washcloth back. She knew from experience how hard any kind of physical deficiency was on these men. "It might not look like that right now, but it'll become better. I'll tell the doctor about this new episode; he'll probably want to adjust your medication." Then she turned to Tank, Bobby and Lester. "He needs to stay calm so don't upset him."

Steph was still sitting on the edge of Ranger's bed when the two nurses finally left the room.

"Ranger," she said softly with a relieved smile playing around her lips. "I'm so glad to see you awake."

Whatever reaction Steph had hoped for, she didn't get it. Ranger lay motionless in his bed with his head turned away from her and silently stared into space.

"Hey," she smiled and encouragingly rubbed his forearm in a bid to get his attention. "I shall say Hi from Skip and Akroyd. They're both glad to hear that you came around and they can't wait to see you and talk to you. I think they want to thank you for saving them. They are great guys."

No response; not even a twitch of a muscle.

"Talk to me, Ranger. What is going round in your head?" Steph whispered. "Tell me and I will try to help you. We will all try to help you."

"Go away," Ranger finally replied, his voice breathy and barely understandable under the oxygen mask. "Just go away."

Steph looked at the man in front of her still ignoring her as best as he could.

"No," she finally told him quietly, but firmly. "You need help and I'm here to help you. Finally I can give back to you after all these years that you have been there for me."

"I don't need your help. Do us all a favor and take a hike," Ranger said a little louder with his eyes boring into the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Ranger, I won't leave you."

"Damn it! Don't you get it, Stephanie?" He abruptly turned his head around and growled at her, his eyes cold and without any emotion. "I don't want your help. I don't want **you**. Get out of here and fly back to Trenton where you belong."

Behind her, Steph could feel her three friends bristle. She was taken aback by Ranger's words and callousness and it surely showed on her face, but that didn't mean she would cave in and leave broken-hearted.

Never leaving Ranger's eyes, Steph spoke to the other men in the room, "Bobby, Lester, Tank? Would you please wait outside for a while? I need to talk to Ranger in private."

"Little girl, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"It's okay Tank," Steph eventually turned around and send him, Bobby and Lester a small, but confident smile. "I know what I'm doing."

Unhappy, Lester stepped forward, leaned down and pressed a kiss into her hair. "My loyalty is with you, Beautiful. If you leave, I'll go with you; no discussion." He levelled a warning stare at Ranger, turned around and left the room without another word.

Bobby followed him, but not without hugging Steph from behind and kissing her cheek. "Call when you need me, honey. I'm right outside."

Eventually, it Tank was the only one left with them and he stared at his lifelong friend with a look that spoke volumes.

"Carlos, we've been best friends since childhood and believe me I don't take that lightly. I've always had your back and I've taken bullets for you without thinking about it, but today that all could change. You brought Stephanie into our lives and by that changed them forever. If you decide to treat her badly and snub her, you'll have to live with the consequences. It will cost you the loyalty of many of your men, mine included. Your friendship has always been important to me, but Steph's love and acceptance have made my life a great place and I won't stand by and let you destroy the best thing that has ever happened to me. Think about that before you act." Tank put his pan-like hand on Steph's shoulder, squeezed gently and then turned to the door and left the room.

Silence settled over them as Steph watched Ranger's face for any signs that would give her a hint what was going on, but his focus was back on the opposite wall, his expression vacant. How she disliked his blank face and yet it was part of him and she loved him. Hopefully her love was strong enough to lure him out of the far away corner in his mind that he had retreated into.

"You know," she eventually started to talk after a couple minutes. "When we got the message that you and your men were found I felt a relieve flooding my body that took my breath away and made black dots appear in my vision. I was truly beside myself. Tank cautioned me that your condition was more than critical and that there was still a good chance that you'd die, but just knowing you were safe gave me hope beyond words. I knew you would fight to come back. The next hurdle was taken, when we got word that you were stable enough to be flown out. We packed our duffels and were on the jet and in the air within an hour of the call and even though our flying time was longer than yours we arrived ahead of you and could get settled before we rushed to the hospital. I can't start to describe the emotions washing over me when I saw you the first time in the ICU. I was so happy, so unbelievably happy. We were there when your heart lost its rhythm and finally stopped beating. Those were the most horrible minutes of my life, but you made it. You fought back. You were alive and that was all that mattered." She took one of his hands between hers and rubbed it soothingly. "Do you hear what I'm saying, Ranger? You. Are. Alive. Everything that comes from now on will be a walk in the park compared to what you've been through."

Steph squeezed his hand and waited for a response, but Ranger's face remained void as he kept staring into space.

The door opened and Lester stuck his head in, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay, Beautiful?"

"Yeah, everything's fine, but we need a bit more time."

Les nodded, pulled back and closed the door.

"Go to your watchdogs; they are yearning to be patted," Steph suddenly heard a growl coming from the bed. "And while you are at it take them with you and fly back to Trenton."

Steph turned her head and looked into Ranger's eyes that were boring into her. He tried to keep his face blank, but for a split second she thought she saw a flicker of fear and despair flying over it just before it became vacant once more.

"What's going on Ranger?" She asked softly while stroking the back of his hand with her fingers. "Why are you so dismissive? Bobby said it could be a fall-out of the drugs you are getting or you could suffer PTSD. Whatever it is, talk to me. You know you can tell me anything."

Ranger turned his head back to the wall and this time Steph was sure of the pain she saw in his eyes.

"Go, Steph, please," he begged with a voice that was grief-stricken.

Steph stood up, went around the bed, sat back down and cupped his face with both hands so that he had no other choice but to look at her. "No. I'll say it as often as you need to hear it. I. Won't. Leave. Whatever is going on, how long it may take, I will stand by your side. That's what friends are for. No price, remember?"

Ranger felt weak inside and out. The effect of the painkillers he'd gotten earlier was wearing off, but more than under the physical pain he suffered under the emotional anguish Steph's presence was causing him. He wanted to keep up his contemptuous demeanor, wanted to make her leave and take the others with her. He wanted to be alone, once and for all, and then maybe, just maybe, he would allow himself to break down for a moment as he faced the truth about the life lying ahead of him. Helplessly, he had to realize that he was at the end of his rope and as though that wasn't enough his body betrayed him by letting a single tear trickle down his cheek. Of course Steph saw the traitor and her eyes softened.

"It's okay. I've got you," she whispered before leaning forward and kissing the tear away.

"Why can't you leave me alone?" Ranger asked pleadingly with a choked voice.

Steph looked into his pained eyes and thought of the letter that was sitting in his apartment in Trenton. It felt like an eternity had passed since she'd written it.

"Because I love you," she said truthfully. "Always have, always will."

Ranger squeezed his eyes shut and fought against the emotions threatening to overpower him. The whole time in that crevice he had thought of her, had clung to that picture in his mind of her in her bed the night before he left. He had cursed the day that he'd decided to send her back to Morelli instead of trying a relationship with her, had begged for a second chance, vowed that should he survive he'd give himself over to her and make her an honest woman. But that was before he had to realize that he'd become a useless invalid. When he opened his eyes, Steph was watching him and her look was filled with so much love that the pain in his heart burned so violently as though someone had impaled a red-hot dagger in his chest.

"Steph," he lifted his hand to caress her cheek, but his arm was too heavy to hold it up. "I don't ask a lot from you, but I ask you for this. Please, take Tank, Bobby and Lester and fly home with them. I'm a shell of the man that left a few weeks ago and I have to come to terms with the changes in me and what they mean for my future. I need to be alone for that. Please."

Steph looked at him pensively. Finally they were cutting to the chase. Ranger was pulling back from them all because he struggled with his condition. Ricardo Carlos Mañoso, successful business man, bounty hunter extraordinaire and the best mercenary the American government could call their own didn't know how to deal with the fact that his body had gone past its limit and wouldn't bounce back like he was used to.

"You've been injured before and recovered; this isn't any different. I know that feeling fragile and depending on drugs and the help of others is hard, but you aren't alone. I'm right by your side, as are Bobby, Tank and Les. You heard Agnes earlier; it'll become better."

"Steph, I'm no idiot. The tiniest strain triggers an asthma attack. My heart is no longer able to cope with the slightest stress. For some reason I don't know they don't fix my leg. I saw my feet when the nurse changed the dressings earlier; they are black; necrotic; dead. I know what that means, Steph. Amputation. This mission has made me a cripple and I have to find a way to deal with that and think about how to shape my future. I'll no longer be of any use at Rangeman…"

"Stop, Ranger," Steph interrupted him, grabbed his hands and ordered his attention. "You are **no** cripple. Yes, for the moment you are suffering asthma attacks because of the smoke poisoning, but they will go away as your bronchial tubes and lungs recover. Yes, you have an arrhythmia, but the doctors aren't certain that it will be here to stay and even if it should be permanent it is treatable and won't disable you once it's under control. And thirdly: Yes, you have severe frostbite and your feet don't look good, but the jury is still out whether there'll be a need for amputation or not. The doctors will do their best to preserve them. But even if, and that is a big if, you will lose your feet. The prostheses they make today are so highly developed that they allow you a normal life. This isn't the end, it's a turning point. **You** are Rangeman's CEO and nobody else. You may no longer be able to chase down criminals, but the business side needs you more than ever and you can expand your empire and become the best looking and sexiest business man in the world."

That finally brought a slight twitch to Ranger's mouth.

"Ha!" Steph exclaimed. "You wanted to smile. Admit it."

"Babe."

Steph's shoulders sagged relieved as she exhaled and gave him the most beautiful smile she was capable of. "Finally."

"What?"

"You finally called me Babe. I thought you'd never do it again."

Ranger looked at her and for the first time since he woke up his eyes softened as he took in the appearance of the woman who held his heart. She looked tired; her eyes were puffy and there were dark circles under them, but they were alive with a stubborn will to fight if necessary. She wouldn't give up on him so perhaps he should trust her and for once let her take the lead.

"I'm scared, Babe."

"I know," she whispered softly as she caressed his cheek. "We will tackle whatever life throws at you together, okay? Remember you are Batman and I'm Wonder Woman; between the two of us there's nothing we can't master."

This time Ranger didn't fight it and let a small smile tuck at the corners of his lips before closing his eyes and furrowing his brow.

"You are in pain."

It wasn't a question.

"A little, but it's manageable," Ranger answered truthfully. "Can you get the three stooges back in the room? They'll probably peel the wallpaper from the wall by now because they are antsy what harm I'm doing to you."

Steph smiled, stood up and went to the door. As expected Tank, Lester and Bobby were standing at parade rest right, left and opposite of the door and quirked their eyebrows when she stepped out.

"I'm okay, guys, things have calmed down. Wanna come back in?"

They didn't need to be told twice. Pushing back into the room, they soon stood around the foot of Ranger's bed and eyed him speculatively.

"Message received," Ranger nodded to Tank. "Steph set me straight and I'm better now."

Lester pulled Steph into his arms and pressed a big, sloppy kiss on her temple. "Does that mean you are happy to see me now?" He grinned, ready to forget any animosity that had prevailed earlier.

"No, but I can deal," Ranger answered deadpan. "Will you give me the gist of what is going on with me?" He turned his focus on Bobby.

"Don't you want to wait for your head surgeon Dr. Wheeler? He wants to come by after making his round."

"No, tell me now. I'm tired of not knowing what's going on with me."

Ranger held his hand out to Steph who gladly took it and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Alright," Bobby nodded and took a deep breath before starting his report. "The toxic smoke of the smoke grenade caused a severe inflammation of your airways. For the moment you need to be on 100% oxygen or your blood oxygen level instantly drops. You are on cortisone for the inflammation and get a bronchospasmolytic agent twice the day plus when an acute asthma attack hits you. The amount of oxygen will be slowly decreased over the next couple weeks and you will need respiratory therapy for quite a while."

"Steph said it won't be a permanent condition?"

"No, once your airways are cleared and the inflammation is gone the doctors feel confident that your lung function will be back to hundred percent provided that you stick to your therapy."

"Okay. What about my heart?" Ranger nodded, willing to accept Bobby's words. All in all that sounded manageable.

"You had two cardiac arrests. For reasons the doctors can't explain your heart didn't recover completely from the second one but developed a rather severe arrhythmia. It loses its rhythm under stress, but also in between for no identifiable reasons. They treat you with antiarrhythmic agents and try to get it under control. Since they aren't sure about the reason they are hesitant to make a prognosis, but for the moment we should assume that your heart will recover."

"Worst case?" Ranger looked at him, steeling himself for the answer.

"You'll get a pacemaker and have to take the meds for the rest of your life."

"What about work?"

"If the arrhythmia remains your physical resilience will be compromised. It won't affect you in your day-to-day business life, but everything more strenuous will be a case of try and error and you'll have to accept and adjust to your physical limitations."

Bobby's summary was merciless, but he knew Ranger wouldn't want it any other way. He needed to know what was going on with him, what to expect from the future, so he could start to heal not just physically but also mentally.

"Alright. Now the hardest part. What's going on with my leg? I know it's a complicated fracture but for some reasons they haven't done surgery so far. And what about my feet? I saw them earlier. The toes and part of the forefoot are necrotic. Will they have to be amputated?"

"Because of the fracture and the associated hematoma the circulation in your right leg was severely restricted to the point where your forefoot was no longer supplied with blood. Therefore the necrosis is far more severe in your right foot than in your left. Your circulation slowly starts to recover, but Dr. Wheeler expects complications in the heeling of the tissue when they go in to repair the fracture. Worst case you could lose your lower leg."

"And if they don't go in?"

"Eventually, the fracture will heal, but your leg will most probably be painful for the rest of your life."

"How painful?"

"You'll regularly need painkillers."

Ranger pressed his lips together and nodded that he understood. In the distance he registered Steph's thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hand, but it did nothing to distract him.

"Go on," he said calmly, wanting to be done with the depressing news.

"Due to the prolonged exposure to cold the bones and joints of your feet, lower legs, hands and lower arms froze to the bone. Your ears and face show first and second degree burn as do your arms and hands. The open wounds and blisters on them will heal completely. Your legs up to the knees show second and third degree burn with your toes beginning to become necrotic. The waiting period for any definite verdict regarding your feet is forty-five days. Then Dr. Wheeler will be able to determine how far reaching the necrosis is and whether an amputation is needed or the feet can be saved by removing the irreparably damaged tissue."

"What do you think?"

"I think," Bobby replied, "that you have a great future ahead of you no matter how far you'll recover. You have Steph at your side and us. You can be proud of everything you have achieved so far and you can build on that. No arrhythmia or prosthesis in the world will slow you down; they'll just make you more determined."

Ranger turned his head away from them and stared into space. Finally he knew what was going on and could bite the bullet. It seemed as though he had not much of a choice.

"So regarding my leg," he looked back at Bobby, "it's either a life in pain with the possibility of still losing my foot or I let them do the surgery and risk losing my whole lower leg?"

"That's what it boils down to."

"Babe?"

"I know what I would do, but it's your decision. Just know that I'll be right beside you all the way."

"Even if I'll be forever disabled, missing a limb?"

"Hey," she smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "You will rock an artificial leg. You are Batman."

"I can't imagine taking painkillers for the rest of my life. That's unacceptable."

"Then I'd say the decision is made," Steph nodded. "I wouldn't have expected anything else. Proud of you."

Ranger sent her a tired smile and couldn't help but tug at her hand. "Lay with me, Babe."

"Batman in search of comfort? Count me in," she smiled, quickly pulled off her sneakers and snuggled as close as the wires and tubes connected to him allowed.

"Babe, you make me sound weak."

"Wrong. I make you sound human. There's a difference you'll have to learn. But don't worry, I'll teach you."

"What about my men, Bobby?"

"Akroyd's condition is similar to yours minus the arrhythmia. His smoke poisoning isn't as severe as yours and he's faring well with nasal jets. He was downgraded a day after your arrival. I try to make him see that a medical discharge is not the end of the world, that he just turns a leaf over and starts a new chapter, but he takes it very hard, is depressed and full of self-hatred. Skip on the other side is a tough cookie and keeps his chin up. He has a swelling in his spinal column that is pressing on the spinal cord which is inflamed. For the moment he's paraplegic, but now that it gets medicated the swelling is continously going back and the doctors are cautiously optimistic that he might gain the feeling in his legs back. With patience, will to fight and the right therapy he might even learn to walk again. I offered both of them my assistance while I'm here which they gladly accepted."

Ranger waited for Bobby to continue, but when it became obvious he wouldn't say more his stomach dropped. "What about Kaminski?"

The shadow settling over Bobby's face didn't bode well.

"I sneaked into his room one night and took a look at his file. He's in a coma after a traumatic brain injury. The drop into the crevice broke his skull causing a subdural hemorrhage. Since it wasn't immediately treated, the bleeding pressed on his brain and parts of it died off under the pressure. It's a miracle that he's survived. Nobody can tell when or if he'll wake up, but should he regain consciousness he'll most probably be mentally handicapped."

"Fuck." Ranger closed his eyes and pressed his lips together as he warded off the maelstrom of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He wanted to bring all his men home and he did, but what a price they had to pay for that godforsaken mission.

"Hey," Steph propped herself up on her elbow, laid her free hand on his chest and rubbed softly. "It's not your fault. You saved them. Thanks to you they are alive and have a future."

"But what kind of future?"

"A future that is worth living for; no matter whether with prostheses, a wheelchair or a mental impairment. Every day that we can go out there and change the world for the better is worth to be lived. And you will show them how that works. You'll act as their role model and prove to them that life goes on. You won't leave them to deal with this on their own. That's not who you are."

"You hold me in high esteem, Babe."

"I know you, Batman," Steph smiled down at him. "I know how much you care for the men subjected to you. That's one of the many aspects that make you such a wonderful, adorable man."

Ranger smiled under his oxygen mask, lifted his hand and laid it on Steph's. He wasn't sure he deserved her love and respect, but under the given circumstances he was glad he had it. He had a long road of recovery ahead of him and if he wanted to be a pillar of strength for his men, he'd need any support he could get.

* * *

_**I know some of you wanted Ranger and his men to make it out of this without a scrape. You will probably be brokenhearted because of the injuries I selected for them, but leaving them unharmed would have been so far away from any reality I just couldn't do it. I know this is fiction and I'm the master of this story, but I feel this need in me to make it at least a little real. My deepest apology to everybody who's suffering, please feel my squishy hugs. Remember that they are all alive and I've promised you a happy end that you will get as sure as I love my merry men. :-)**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hey everybody, a week has passed and it's time for a new chapter. Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed the last one. Every time my cell dings with an incoming email informing me about a new review I start smiling like a fool. :-))**_

_**To the guest reviewer whose mom worked at the VA after leaving the Army: In your review you wrote about an organization providing emotional support animals to veterans suffering PTSD. Unfortunately you didn't give the name of the organization, just that a link to them could be found on the QuickTrip's website. I googled QuickTrip and found a chain of convenience stores?! They don't offer any links. Could you please send me a PM or another review with the exact name of the organization? I'd love to learn more about the topic.**_

_**The disclaimer is the same as always: A few of them might be my own, but everyone you recognize from the books belong to JE**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 9**

**Ramstein Air Base hospital, two weeks later**

"Steph is back," a young man with a Marine buzz cut and an amputated arm called out, turning away from the window he'd been leaning against.

Immediately a shift went through the men assembled in the recreation room. Faces lightened up, bathrobe lapels and shirts were tugged into place and the occasional laugh could be heard as they prepped for their special guest.

"Uuugh," Steph groaned a few minutes later as she tried to push through the door. "I need help. Can anybody…"

Instantly buzz cut was standing next to her, pulling the door open with his good arm.

"Thanks, Beaver," she smiled at him, calling him by his nickname. "I tell ya," Steph looked into the eager faces of the soldiers in front of her. "The next time I make a Burger King run for you I need help. Where in hell are you going to put all this food?"

With a groan she lifted the six heavy plastic bags she was carrying onto the closest table and dropped into the empty chair next to it.

"Some of us are still growing," a kid of perhaps twenty who had lost both his legs and sat in a wheelchair replied with a cheeky grin. "We need a balanced nutrition."

"And that's why I emptied Burger King, because burgers and fries are balanced nutrition?" Steph looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Puhleaze, even I know that that is a fat lie."

"They are a thousand times better than the hospital food," said buzz cut earning loud agreement as he combed through the plastic bags to find the paper bag with his name on it.

"Stop thinking of nothing but yourself and get in line until it's your turn," Steph admonished him, giving him a rap over his knuckles.

"Hey! You are hitting an invalid. There are laws against that."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm just making sure that nobody comes off badly. You are such a crybaby."

"I'm not! And who says I'm wearing panties?" Buzz cut waggled his eyebrows at her.

Shaking her head, Steph stood up and started to distribute the paper bags to their respective recipients, making sure that those sitting in wheelchairs and/or missing limbs weren't pushed around by those stronger. When all but one bag was gone, Steph looked around the room at the happily munching men and smiled. Being a people person she'd easily gotten to know them over the past two weeks and to say she was impressed didn't do her feelings justice. Each one of them was a good guy in his own way, dealing with his fate as well as he could, but what was really moving to observe was the understanding with which they met each other that was born out of sharing the same haunting experiences. They were a tight-knit group aside from when it was feeding time. Then they all morphed into voracious wolves thinking of nothing but themselves. Grabbing the last paper bag, Steph walked over to the window front and the lone man sitting there at a table gazing out of the windows.

"Hey Danny," she softly greeted Akroyd who jumped when she put her hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, I didn't want to scare you."

"You didn't. I was just lost in thought."

Steph took a seat next to him and followed his look. "Watcha seeing out there?"

"Nothing," he finally turned around to her. "Just staring into space."

"I've brought some food for us; burgers, fries, salads, apple pies and cokes."

"Steph, I told you I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat, Danny. It's important for your healing," she looked at him sympathetically. "Come on, we'll share. The big salad and the wrap are for Ranger, anyway."

With a sigh Akroyd turned his wheelchair towards the table and watched Steph distributing the content of the bag between them.

"I missed you when I came to your room earlier. Skip said the doctors had taken you with them. Is everything okay?"

Instead of answering, Akroyd shrugged indifferently causing Steph to narrow her eyes at him. Alright, apparently today was one of those days where talking to him was like pulling teeth. She could deal with that. Been there, done that.

"You'll have to give me more than a shrug if you want to make me stop asking."

"I had PT."

"The doctors wouldn't come and pick you up for that so what was the deal?"

Akroyd stared at his burger as though the answer might be found somewhere in there. "They made some x-rays to see how the fracture is healing," he finally muttered.

"And? How is it healing?" Steph prompted him.

"Nicely."

"Aaaaargh, Danny!" Frustrated, Steph put her hands around his throat and shook him gently. "You are driving me crazy with your taciturnity."

That brought a small smile to the lips of the young man and Steph dropped back on to her chair, pleased that she could cheer him up a little bit.

"Eat!" She pointed at the food in front of him, playfully glaring at him.

"Yes, ma'am."

About a week ago, when Akroyd had finally been allowed to leave his bed, he had seen Ranger and the two men had had a long talk. Steph had left the room to visit with Skip, so she didn't know what exactly the two discussed, but Stephanie had noticed Akroyd had been a different man ever since the conversation. He was still depressed, suffering under his medical discharge and the lingering possibility of losing one or both feet, but Steph could tell that he was really trying to accept his fate and see the positive side of it; that he was still alive and could still be a valuable member of society. Seeing the other men in the rec room who had already lost a limb or even two and moved on with their life helped in addition to whatever Ranger had told him.

They were collecting their trash when the kid with the amputated legs rolled over in his wheelchair and stopped next to them.

"Steph? Are you sure you don't want us to pay for the food? That must have been quite a bill."

"No, that's fine, Charlie. Don't worry about it. This feast was my treat as my farewell gift."

"Thanks, Steph. Ya da best," he smiled brightly. "I'll miss you while you're gone. Maybe I'll still be here when you come back; I'd like that." And with that he turned his wheelchair around and wheeled away to a group of men playing cards.

"That kid is grating on my nerves."

"Why?"

"Because…," Akroyd pressed his lips together and tried to find the right words. "Because he lost both his legs and is still so cheerful."

"He has accepted what he can't change and is moving on. It makes no sense to dwell in the past and mourn a time that is definitely over, Danny."

"I know," the man in front of her mumbled miserably. "It's just so hard."

"You'll get there," Steph put her hand on his lower arm lying on the table and rubbed it gently. "There'll always be good and bad days. It's just important that on those bad days you don't let yourself get carried away. Always keep in mind that tomorrow's a new day and a new chance to make it better and sooner or later you'll finally be able to make peace with your situation. I believe in you."

"Why are you doing this? Being so nice to us, to me? Nobody has ever been so supportive of me," Akroyd said quietly while looking her over.

"Hmmm," Steph answered after a moment of thinking. "I guess because I can. You've all been through so much and now that you are safe you have to fight a whole new battle, accepting what fate has thrown at you. I like helping people, supporting them, because I know what it means to have no support system. Plus it gives me endless joy to conjure a smile on your lips and make you forget your struggles, even if it is just for a moment."

"But nobody is expecting you to help not to mention that you are bleeding money here. After all you left your life behind in Trenton and have been staying here since two and a half weeks just to entertain us."

"First of all Rangeman's paying all the bills so it's not my money but Ranger's, but even if it was mine I wouldn't think twice about it. Money is of little importance to me as long as I have enough to pay my rent and feed my hamster. I'm not one of those high maintenance women who think of nothing but themselves. You are incredibly brave and honorable men and I'm in the lucky position to be able to help so I do it. Period."

"Thank you," Akroyd put his hand on hers and squeezed it, his eyes serious, "for never giving up on me and pushing me on days like these. I'll have a hard time while you're gone."

"I'll be back before you'll realize that I'm not here," she smiled at him and put her other free hand on top of his. "A friend in Trenton needs my help. He has a legal issue and I stumbled across something that might help him out of it so I have to go and work my magic, but once that is done I'll be on my way back here. Can't leave you, Skip, Kaminski and Ranger alone for too long, right?"

Akroyd sighed and pressed his lips together.

"You'll be fine," Steph stood up and ruffled his hair before finally leaning down and giving him a peck on his cheek. "I'll come by your room before I leave so make sure that you'll be there, okay?"

"'kay."

A couple minutes later, Steph stepped on the floor of the ICU and went to Ranger's room. Since a few days he was in isolation after he was diagnosed with drug resistant bacteria eating away at his necrotic feet and the surgical wound where Dr. Wheeler had gone in to repair his fracture. To say he wasn't a happy camper was an understatement, but Ranger took his role as a model for his men seriously and didn't fret. After Steph was gowned, gloved and masked, she knocked and stepped into the room to see Ranger lying on his bed completely absorbed in one of the books she had gotten him. He was still attached to the heart monitor since the arrhythmia adamantly remained, but the oxygen mask had made way for nasal jets and the oxygen meter was set on sixty percent; a huge improvement.

"Hey," she greeted him with a smile in her voice, went over to the bed and sat down on the chair she'd vacated two hours ago. "I brought you a treat because you are so brave and take up with all the shit going on with your leg and feet."

"Babe?" He questioningly eyed the Burger Kind bag, putting his book away.

"Oh come on. You know I wouldn't bring you an artery-clogging burger. It's twigs and bark and a grilled chicken wrap."

"Did the men enjoy the treat you got them?" He asked with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yep, you should've seen their faces. Their smiles could've lit up the whole Base. Danny was a bit in a mood, but I could cheer him up and make him eat what I brought him. He takes it hard that I leave."

"We all take it hard, Babe. You are the sunshine in everybody's life here."

"Yeah, right."

"Babe." Ranger looked at her and waited patiently for Steph to raise her eyes. When she finally looked up, he stretched his hand out in her direction and waited for her to take it. "Stop selling yourself short. It's your positive attitude and your light that conjures a smile on these men's faces. You can't meet a person and not win them over. It's who you are and I'm incredibly proud of you and all you've done for me, my men and everybody else you've met here. You are an amazing woman."

Steph felt the heat rise in her cheeks and didn't know where to look first.

"That's my Babe," Ranger chuckled and squeezed her hand. "Will you ever get used to getting compliments?"

"Probably not. Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Babe. It's one of the many endearing things about you that I love."

His words made a pleasant warmth spread through Steph's body. Over the past two weeks, Ranger had repeatedly told her that he loved her and not once he'd added a qualifier as he used to in the past. She wasn't sure what it meant and didn't want to read too much into it, but ever since their clash after he'd woken up Ranger had been full of affection towards her, had included her in his decisions and even opened up to her in small steps and she enjoyed every minute of it. She wouldn't go as far as to say he underwent a change in personality, but he made a visible effort to share his life with her. It felt wonderful.

"So you'll be okay while I'm gone?" Steph watched him take a bite from the burrito and wrinkle his nose. Guess the mayonnaise in the wrap wasn't after his taste. Oh well.

"I'll be fine, Babe. You go and bring down that General. Whatever you need, Rangeman will back you up with it; no price. I won't accept Lester risking his life for me one day longer than necessary."

"You're putting a lot of trust in me, Batman."

"Because I know what you are capable of. If there's one person who can pull this off without putting Rangeman on the line it's you."

Steph squeezed his hand and sighed. "Damn hygiene rules that force me to gown up, glove and mask and keep any body contact with you at a minimum. Right now I'd give my right arm to snuggle up to you."

"Babe."

"What? When it comes to you I feel this overwhelming need to get touchy-feely," she smiled at him. "I wouldn't even flinch from making goo-goo eyes at you."

A knock sounded at the door behind them and a second later Ranger's favorite nurse Agnes stepped into the room, happy when she heard Ranger laughing.

"Someone's in good mood," the elderly woman smiled and vanished into the bathroom. A moment later she was back with a basin that smelled of disinfectant. "You ready to get your feet bathed and wound cleaned?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," the nurse smiled behind her mask.

"You are enjoying torturing me, aren't you?"

"Captain, you and Stephanie are my favorites, never doubt that. I just want you better and out of isolation as quickly as possible," she told him with serious eyes. "Do you want to stay, Steph?"

"Yes, please. I want to see how it looks."

"Babe, you don't have to do that," Ranger looked at her pleading. "It's not a pretty sight."

"I know, but I want to. Remember we are in this together and I don't care whether it's pretty or not. This is about you so I stay," she answered firmly and switched to the opposite side of the bed.

Agnes gently removed the dressing from Ranger's feet and right leg and Steph grimaced involuntarily at the sight. All toes from the left foot and half the forefoot of the right foot were black and looked partly eaten away and the gaping surgical wound at his lower right leg was of angry red color and festering. A nauseating smell of rot emanated from the feet and leg and Steph squeezed Ranger's hand as much to give him strength as to keep herself where she was.

Agnes examined his feet and then prodded gently at the open wound at his leg.

"It's not one jot better than yesterday. If anything it looks worse," she finally said skeptically. "I will talk it over with Dr. Wheeler when I see him. Who did the washing this morning?"

"Sophia."

"Did she say anything about how she evaluates the situation?"

"Same as you; that it looks worse."

"Okay, nothing we can do about that at the moment so let's get down to business."

Steph watched the nurse gently but thoroughly syringing the wound at the leg before moving on to the feet and bathing them in the basin.

"Alright, that should do for tonight," Agnes nodded satisfied after everything was well dried and wrapped with fresh bandages. "Any last wishes before I leave?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you," Ranger lay back down onto the mattress and closed his eyes.

"If you change your mind press the call button and I'll be back. My shift ends at 2300; until then I'm all yours."

Steph watched Agnes leave the room before turning her head and looking at the man lying in front of her. Ranger looked gloomy, his facial expression somber, the tension around his eyes obvious. It was easy to guess what was going on in his mind. If they didn't get the bacteria under control, he'd lose his lower leg and the opposite foot. There was no point in beating about the bush. Walking back around the bed, Steph sat down in her chair and grabbed his hand.

"Look at me, Ranger."

It took a moment, but after a minute Ranger opened his eyes and gazed at her and for once he didn't hide behind his blank mask but let all the sadness and despair he was feeling show on his face.

"Whatever hand fate deals us, we'll take it in stride and make the best of it."

"We?"

"Yes, **we**. **You** and** I**, **together**."

"Babe, look at me. I'm becoming an invalid. I can't burden you with this. You're supposed to fly; I'd just be a millstone around your neck slowing you down."

"Wrong, Ranger. You are my best friend, my fuel and my safety belt. I'm nothing without you. It is exactly as I told you two weeks ago. If the worst comes to the worst and they need to amputate your right leg and left foot, then we'll get you the best prostheses available and you will keep rocking the world."

"If they have to amputate on both legs I'll be bound to a wheelchair," Ranger replied, desperately trying not to sound too miserable.

"But just at the beginning until the wounds are healed and you've learned to use the prostheses and after that on days when you can't or don't want to wear them. I don't see the problem. It's all a questions of attitude. You can let yourself be ruled by your fate or you can take matters in your own hands. What is it?"

"You're allowing no weakness, Babe."

"That's not right. You can be as weak with me as you need to be and I'll be right by your side comforting you, but sometimes it's important to have someone who pushes you on, who encourages you to rise above yourself. I'm just trying to be your biggest supporter as you've always been mine," Steph smiled and grabbed his hand, rubbing soothing circles on its back. "Rise to the challenge, Batman. The world needs you."

"Babe," Ranger finally chuckled sadly. They watched each other for a few long minutes, each of them lost in their own thoughts until Ranger turned his head and glanced at the clock hanging over the door. "It's six p.m., Babe. I don't want to kick you out, but the longer we wait, the harder the goodbye will be."

"I know," Steph sighed. "I'm already procrastinating."

Entwining their fingers, Ranger looked at her, his gaze soft and full of love. "You are important to me, Babe, I can't think of anyone more important, but you are needed in Trenton. My cousin needs you. The jokester's driving me insane, but he's family. Go and save his life and then come back here if you want. I know that I'll be happy to see you and so will be my men.

"Okay," Steph replied with a heavy heart. "And don't worry; I **will** be back."

"You have the black Rangeman Amex card. Utilize it. There's no limit to it and it's supposed to cover all expenses you might face, here or back stateside."

"Yes, sir," Steph saluted with a smile, still amazed at herself that she had no trouble to make use of the card. So many things had changed over the past weeks.

Before she could postpone her farewell any longer she squeezed Ranger's hand a last time and stood up.

"Don't get shot, Batman." She called over to him when she was at the door.

"Not likely, Babe," he smiled. "Don't get too crazy without me."

Before she left the ICU Steph checked in with Kaminski who was still in a coma and told him to keep working on regaining his consciousness. She had sat with him for an hour every day for the past two weeks, head talked and read to him, but so far he hadn't shown any sign of coming around and even though the doctors encouraged her to not give up hope, Steph had to admit that she was losing her confidence in a happy ending. Throwing a last look back at him, Steph sighed before making her way one floor down to Akroyd and Skip's room. Akroyd might take her departure hard, but in comparison to Ranger and Kaminski he and Skip would be easy farewells. After joking around with the two men for a few minutes, she hugged them and they both got a kiss goodbye on their brows. They'd hold their own until she was back, of that she was sure, and between Skip's positive attitude and the men he'd meet in the rec room Akroyd would manage to keep his spirits up.

It was a quarter to seven when Steph finally stepped into her hotel room at the Ramstein Inn and let the silence envelope her after another long day at the hospital. In about twelve hours the Rangeman jet would pick her up and bring her nonstop back to Trenton where her guys were already waiting for her. Knowing them they'd take her out for a second breakfast before they'd all drive back to Rangeman and meet in the conference room to go over her findings regarding the general. Then it would depend on the men's consensus what to do next. If it would be up to Steph, she'd be on her way to Washington D.C. within an hour after ending the meeting, but for once she'd listen to the others before running off half-cocked. This was about Les' life, her precious beloved Les. She wouldn't take any unnecessary risks when it came to him.

* * *

_**There ya go. Now that Steph is on her way back, it's time that the evil general gets what is coming at him. IMO it can't get vicious enough. Make my cell ding with reviews; I'd like to hit the 200 mark. :-)**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Babes, YOU ROCK! You are wonderful readers and supporters and your notes make me sooooooo (spreadmyarms) happy.**_

_**To my loyal pet sitting guest reviewer: THANKS so much for writing another review with the QuickTrip links and the ones your friend from the VA gave you, but they didn't show. It's all FF's fault. Apparently links aren't shown when written down instead there are just blank spaces. I don't know what to do. I'd really LOVE to have the links and all the informations regarding service dogs / emotional support dogs for veterans. It should work if you leave spaces between the single parts of the address like www . servicedog . com. I'd be really thankful for a third try. Don't they say all good things come in threes? :-) scratches to the pooches, ~Yvonne**_

_**And the disclaimer is? Taataaaa... You know them, they belong to JE**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 10**

**Trenton-Mercer Airport, Ewing Township, the next morning**

Steph stepped out of the small exit of the Rangeman Gulfstream onto the top step and blinked into the midmorning sunshine greeting her. A brisk wind was blowing and she shivered, quickly zipping her parka, before taking a look around. Of course Tank, Bobby and Lester were already there waiting for her. Like statues they stood next to each other with their backs against the Explorer behind them, their arms crossed over their massive chests and their feet crossed at the ankles, their Aviator glasses reflecting the sunshine and their faces giving nothing away. Steph sighed happily. She was back home and it felt wonderful.

"Hey," she called down to the men, waved and started to laugh when their mouths simultaneously broke into huge smiles.

Lester was the first to push away from the SUV and she happily bounced down the steps and into his waiting arms.

"Beautiful," he lifted her up in the air and twirled her around with her legs flying. "It's so good to have you back. I've missed you terribly."

"Don't hog the girl, man," Bobby complained behind them. "I need my Steph-fix, too… Hey honey," he smiled when he enveloped her into his arms. "It's good to have you back. Talking on the phone every night isn't the same as seeing you live and in person."

"Wait! You talked to her every night?" Lester narrowed his eyes at Bobby, an annoyed look on his face. "If you bothered her with your boring stories every night then why the fuck did I hold back and called just every other day?"

"Because you knew how draining it would be to give Bobby my reports regarding the men's condition and you didn't want to add to that stress," Steph pulled out of Bobby's arms, cupped Les' cheek and rubbed it lovingly. "Your calls were always perfectly timed and conjured a smile on my face each and every time. Don't squabble, you two."

"Just ignore them, little girl, it's what I do and it works for me since years."

"Tank," Steph turned, tilted her head back and smiled up at the huge man now throwing his shadow over her. "I've missed you. How's the air up there?"

Tank let go of a booming laugh and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Just enough oxygen to keep my brain going, little girl."

Meanwhile, Bobby had picked up her luggage and started to stow it away in the back of the Explorer.

"I see you brought the laptop back that we sent you," he hollered over to where she and Tank were still standing. "Did you hear that, Tank? You can finally take a deep breath and relax."

"What does he mean?" Steph looked up with a crunched brow.

"Oh, nothing, Beautiful," Lester put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. "Just that the software on that fine piece of technic is so illegal that our attorneys were on constant standby in case you were found out."

"**What?**"

"Relax, Beautiful," Les chuckled next to her. "Nothing happened. We didn't tell you so you wouldn't be nervous and give yourself away."

"But I would have hidden it away had I known how dangerous the possession is," Steph angrily narrowed her eyes at the men surrounding her. "This way I left it on the dining table in the hotel room for everyone to see."

"Dumbfuck," Tank growled and slapped Lester on the back of his head.

"What the hell? Why did you do that?"

"Because you aren't helping here," the big black man kept growling. "Little girl," he put his hands on her shoulder and looked straight into her eyes. "Sorry for leaving you in the dark. You have every right to be angry with us, but we thought you didn't need the additional stress of knowing what you held in your hands. We needed your focus on Ranger and the search. Don't be mad at us, okay? In our clumsy, well-meant but often misguided way we were just trying to look out for you."

"Okay, but don't do it again. You know how much I hate it when you aren't telling me things for my own good. I really hate it. Morelli always did that and Ranger has done it in parts. It's wrong and puts me at risk."

"Yes, I know and I apologize," Tank bend in his knees so they were at eye level. "We good?"

"Yeah, big guy. We good."

"Good. Then let's get you outta here and to the Pancake House. You deserve a completely unhealthy breakfast after giving yourself up to the bossman's wellbeing for the past two and a half weeks."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

**Rangeman, conference room on five, an hour and a half later**

"**Silence!**"

Immediately the talking in the conference room stopped as every man turned his attention towards Tank who stood at the head of the long table, calling them to order.

"You all had your chance to hug Steph and express your joy over having her back. Now it's time that we put our game faces on and listen to what she found out about the general. He fucked with one of our own and we stand up for each other. No one messes with Rangeman and gets away with it."

Several battles cries filled the conference room as the men rapped their knuckles on the tabletop.

"Little girl, you have the floor."

"Alright," Steph stood up from her chair next to Tank's. "The information I will present to you now I partly got from Ranger as well as from my research regarding General Duane McDermott." Steph pressed a key on her laptop and the picture of the general popped up on the white wall behind her. "The general was born 1950 and married young at the age of twenty. Together with his wife Laura, who was seventeen at their wedding, he had five children; three daughters and two sons over the course of twenty-five years. After being in Vietnam for a three-month stint in a supply unit, he came back to Washington and made a fast career within the administration of the Army. Thanks to his father, an admiral of outstanding merit, he knew military brass and other high-ranking officials within the government and had interceders on all levels. Soon enough he found his way into the Army Human Resources Command where he worked his way up the ladder. He's a die-hard republican and very old school in his thinking no matter the topic. His daughters all got married right out of High School, his two sons are both dead."

In the seat next to her, Lester scrunched his brow at that revelation and turned a questioning look to Bobby sitting next to him. He knew about one of the general's sons being dead; he'd been there after all when he was dying, but the death of the second one was new to him.

"The two sons were his youngest kids and the general's whole pride, especially as they both followed in their father's footsteps and joined the Army," Steph continued. "Both became Army Rangers and were well-respected. Tragedy hit ten years ago when the older one of the two died on a mission with Ranger, Tank, Lester and Bobby. The general took it hard, but didn't seem to hold his death against Ranger and the other guys. I tried to search into that mission back then, but the records got sealed on demand of General McDermot and even Silvio couldn't hack into them. As far as Ranger can remember, they walked into an ambush as though someone had tipped the enemy off. A couple years later they were on an assignment and had the younger one of the general's sons with them. Again the enemy knew they were coming. The gunfight lasted seventy-two hours before the reinforcements arrived, ninety percent of the men died. Our guys brought the son back home, but he suffered a severe case of PTSD. The general didn't bat an eye. With his old school thinking he had a low opinion of this newfangled psychological stuff. In his mind it's all a question of pulling oneself together and going on. He didn't show any understanding as his son struggled more and more. Instead of being there for him, the general put pressure on him and faced him with incomprehension and impatience. In his eyes he was a failure, a disgrace to the family. Eventually, it broke the son and he committed suicide. So over the course of about three years the general and his wife lost both their beloved sons. Laura McDermot couldn't stand the cold, uncompassionate behavior of her husband any longer and divorced him and to make things worse his three daughters, mourning their brothers, also turned their back to him."

A growl went through the assembled men. They all knew PTSD, had all struggled with it at one point or the other in their life. It was a demon that lived in the back of their minds, often assaulting them at night in their dreams. There's a good reason why one out of five suicides was committed by veterans suffering under their impressions of war. To imagine their own family might turn against them, put pressure on them and call them a disappointment, made white hot anger boil up in their veins.

"Let me guess," Ram snarled, his fists balled up so hard that the knuckles turned white. "The general holds Ranger, Tank, Lester and Bobby responsible for losing his family."

"Looks that way. When I talked to her on the phone, his wife hinted that the general was seeking for revenge. She and her former husband are no longer on speaking terms, but she remembered from the time around their divorce that he became more and more bitter, often drank too much and then talked about how he would get back for his sons' deaths."

"But how?"

"By sending Tank, Bobby, the boss and me on continuously increasing suicide missions," Lester growled. "He couldn't outright kill us, but he could take care that our chance for survival was nil."

"That's Ranger's and my guess," Steph put her hand on Les' shoulder and squeezed it. "I'm in contact with a former assistant of the General who indicated that he'd be willing to talk with me, but just face to face."

"No fucking way!" Several of the men jumped up and started to shout, their once blank faces hard and angry.

"**Silence!**" Tank thundered after a moment.

"We won't let Steph anywhere near that scum, Tank," Cal growled, his flaming skull looking more vicious than ever. "You can't be seriously contemplating that."

"It's not my call. She is the spearhead of this operation and in the end it's her decision. She has Ranger's full support and Rangeman's every asset as backup.

"Angel, don't," Cal turned to Steph, his eyes pleading. "We don't know whether that assistant is trustworthy. It could be a ploy of the general to get his hands on you and what then? We'd go postal if he'd get ahold of you."

"Guys," Steph looked at the men around the huge conference table, some of them still upset and standing. "Please, calm down. I promise I won't take any unnecessary chances. I'm here to discuss with you what I found out and plan my next steps. I won't run off without your full support."

That quieted the men down and they straightened out their chairs and took a seat.

"Look," Steph continued. "I don't think that the general is behind that assistant's offer to talk to me. He served McDermot for nearly ten years and then suddenly not only got sacked, but also got an employment reference letter that made sure he wouldn't find another job easily. Something must have happened that caused bad blood between the general and his assistant and my spidey sense is telling me that it's worth hearing."

"Alright," Cal nodded. "I understand your reasoning, but if you meet with him take at least two of us with you so we can secure the perimeter."

That caused Steph to smile. "I won't put Rangeman on the line what with the contracts many of you have still running and Rangeman's affiliation with the government, but I'm sure between all of us we'll work something out that puts everybody's mind at ease."

"So we have an idea why McDermot could be after Les and most probably also after the bossman; he wants revenge for losing his family. And we have a potential whistleblower in form of the general's former assistant. Anything else?" Tank looked at Steph.

"Yes. I checked his credit card movements and every other Friday afternoon after work he withdraws 1,500.00 US$. I couldn't find any clue on what is going on, whether he's blackmailed, but whatever he has to hide is going on since several years. He's spent a small fortune so far."

"He's one of the leading heads of the Army Human Resources Command. Perhaps he's sold information and someone's come behind it. That would also explain how he can have so much money."

"I don't think so," Steph shook her head. "I searched his person as thoroughly as possible, combed through the information with a fine-toothed comb, and no matter from which angle you look at him; he's a patriot through and through. I don't see him betraying his country and he comes from old money so there's no financial reason for betrayal."

"It could be something much simpler. How about a hit and run while under the influence?" Woody suggested.

"Whatever it is we need to find out and see whether we can use it to our advantage. I'm not above blackmailing that man if it gets Lester out of his contract."

"I guess that means you want to go to Washington?" Tank steepled his fingers under his chin.

"Exactly," Steph nodded. "I've thought about it the whole flight back from Germany and I'd like to leave today and see what I can dig up. Laura McDermot is living in Arlington; I'd like to talk to her in person. Then there's the said assistant. I want to meet with him and find out why he was sacked and whether he has any information that could be important for us. And last not least I want to tail McDermot when he withdraws the money to see where he's going with it. Since we don't know what we'll turn up and I promised Ranger to be as cautious as possible I'd like to take two of you with me. They'll need airtight covers and I want them to have no affiliation with the Army. That of course narrows down the choice." Steph looked at the two men sitting next to each other that she had in mind. "Hector, Manny, would you accompany me to D.C.?"

It made sense. Hector was street with no military background at all and Manny was a Marine who had been a crime scene investigator for the NYPD before Ranger discovered him and made him an offer he couldn't deny. They were both on the small side, fit but not brawny and had the ability to vanish in a crowd. Plus neither one had a connection to the Army or the general and they both maintained a low profile within Rangeman. With the right cover they could become whomever Steph needed them to be.

"Querida," Hector held his right hand over his heart. "I'll follow you wherever you go."

"Yeah, wifey," Manny nodded. "You can count on us. We'll help you bring that general down."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

**Washington D.C., Army Human Resources Command**

Duane McDermot sat in his spacious corner office overlooking the Potomac River and narrowed his eyes at the file in front of him. Lester Mateo Santos. The name alone made his blood boil. Earlier the day he was notified that Mañoso's condition was deteriorating, his return into active service no longer open for discussion. That left Santos as the only outlet for his burning anger. He needed to act with deliberation, to make sure that the missions he'd send the traitor on would not just test his limits but would be beyond his capabilities. Santos was supposed to suffer miserably and eventually die a wretched death. He'd been his son's wingman. He was supposed to have his back. He failed and for that he'd die, but only after he'd suffered. The shrill ringing of the phone on his desk brought McDermot out of his cravings for revenge and focus on the display showing the number of a four star general sitting in the Pentagon.

"McDermot?"

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"Rumors have it that the days of the great Mañoso are history. Is that true?"

"Looks that way."

"Do you have a capable substitute? I have the rough draft of an assignment here on my desk that would have been right up Mañoso's alley, insoluble with just a tiny chance of survival."

McDermot's eyes fell on Lester's file lying in front of him and a diabolical smile graced his lips.

"Tell me more. I might just have what you need."

* * *

_**Darn! Will Steph be able to dig the general's grave before he can send Lester out on his next mission? And for what are the 1,500$ every other week? What might the assistant know that could help Steph? Questions over questions... Review away, Babes. I want to know how you feel. **_


	11. Chapter 11

_**For all those who've been anxiously waiting... here is the next chapter (in less than a week I might add). Thanks so much to WizardWoman for her immediate and excellent proof reading. She also suggested that I put up a warning that in the last third of this chapter questionable sex toys are mentioned and I describe some graphic BDSM practices. Sorry for taking away the surprise, but I don't want to offend anybody otherwise loving this story.**_

_**You know the disclaimer... any characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 11 **

It was a nice and sunny day and Steph enjoyed the sunshine filtering through the windows of the little park café across the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum she was sitting in. Two tables down from her Manny was leaning back in an armchair, apparently absorbed in the Washington Post while in truth he was constantly scanning the room. He looked immaculate in his grey business suit, with his expensive haircut and his goatee trimmed to perfection; an executive enjoying a comfortable lunch break. They had scouted out the place the other day and had given a lot of thought to how they would make Manny look before finally deciding for classy and powerful. It would allow him to vanish in the upscale crowd of the café and at the same time gave them options for their later surveillance. Steph crossed her legs, smoothed her hands over the skirt of her business suit and let her eyes roam the place outside the café, but there was not the slightest sign of Hector. It didn't matter. She knew he was out there with his high-tech camera, vigilantly watching the crowd for their target. Suddenly there was a noise in Steph's earpiece and Hector's heavily accented voice came on the line.

"He's coming. Watch the entrance… now."

As soon as the last word faded away, the entry door opened and a man in his late thirties with a well-groomed appearance entered the café looking around. When Steph nodded at him, he found his way over to her.

"Ms. Plum?"

"Stephanie, please," Steph stood up, shook his hand and then sat back down watching the stranger settle across from her. "Can I get you something?"

The general's former assistant looked at the empty cup sitting in front of Steph.

"I take what you had."

Steph flagged the waitress down who took her order with a friendly smile. "Two Mocha Latte, please."

After the woman had left, she considered the man across from her attentively. He looked uncomfortable, his eyes nervously darting around as though he was afraid of being seen.

"Mr. Williams, if you aren't comfortable here we can move to another place or adjourn our meeting."

The man took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and then found her eyes. "No, it's fine. I'm just afraid of what I might get myself into meeting you today."

"I promise I'm not interested in making your life any harder than it is or in endangering your future. As I told you on the phone I need to learn more about General McDermot, especially about the skeletons he might have in his closet."

"May I ask you why you need those information?"

"Because he's threatening the life of a very dear friend, blackmailing him into renewing a contract he wants out of. I can't accept that."

Across from her Williams nodded. "He's good at that." After a moment of hesitation he continued. "Why do you think I can be of help?"

"Because you were the general's loyal assistant for ten years until the he not just dismissed you but also made sure that you'd have a hard time finding a new job. Obviously, something happened between the two of you. I want to be open with you. I'm interested in the dirt, in anything that could offer ammunition against McDermot, and it's my hope that you can deliver."

"I'm gay. That's the reason for the termination of my job," Williams said bitterly. "Back when it happened the don't ask don't tell policy hadn't been overturned, yet, and somehow McDermot found out about my relationship with my now husband. He's as homophobic as they come. According to him I was a failure of nature and belonged locked away. Suddenly reports I had written got lost, appointments and deadlines weren't met, something that according to the general was my fault, and last but not least information I definitely passed on was supposedly not shared. McDermot is a very powerful man and he used this power to destroy my reputation as a reliable executive assistant. I ended up as typist in an orderly room."

"Why didn't you take action against him? You had rights."

"Not everybody is fighter, Stephanie, and don't forget it was the time of don't ask, don't tell. Maybe I would have succeeded, but most probably not and it would have cost me dearly. No, I did the time left on my contract and then left the Army with my head held high. Once I was free, my husband and I married and now I have a nice job as assistant in an ambitious environmental organization. They know about my lifestyle and show me the respect I deserve. I'm at a better place now."

Steph nodded and sipped at her mocha latte. "I admire your strength to accept what you couldn't change and stay true to yourself."

"May I venture a guess?" Williams looked at her over the rim of his cup. "Your friend is one of the general's assets that he sends on classified assignments all over the world?"

"Correct."

"Would you tell me his name?"

Steph thought for a minute whether it would betray Lester's trust in her, but her spidey sense was telling her that Williams was a gem that she would profit from provided that she was open with him so he would feel comfortable around her.

"His name is Lester Santos."

A knowing look appeared on Williams' face. "The damned four."

"Excuse me?"

"Pierre Dubois, Robert Brown, Lester Mateo Santos, Ricardo Carlos Mañoso; I dubbed them the damned four. For reasons unbeknownst to me the general hated them with a vengeance. I overheard him talking to a confidant about how he enjoyed playing with them, how their life didn't mean shit to him. They were pawns on his chessboard, depending on his will to let them see another day. When someone called in need of an asset for a mission the general would ask how dangerous the assignment was and just for the most suicidal ones he'd call one of those four men into action. I don't know what the four did to him, but he wanted them to suffer and eventually die. When Dubois didn't renew his contract McDermot was off the wall, but his hands were bound and after some quarrel he had to accept the termination. The next time he was prepared. When Brown handed in his notice he phoned around in search for assignments and two days before the contract expired he found the most dangerous one on which he sent Brown, all the while hoping he wouldn't make it back. When we got word that Brown had successfully accomplished his mission McDermot became insufferable. And now Santos wants to opt out?"

"Yes."

"Good luck with that one. McDermot is known for supervising the best assets available. He has blackmailed several of these men into renewing their contracts by collecting compromising information about them and then extorting them into re-upping."

"Do you have evidence for that?"

Across from her Williams made a pensive face and regarded her cautiously. Eventually, he sighed and straightened his back as though he'd made up his mind.

"This," he picked up his briefcase and removed a thick manila folder, "is all I have. I collected this information as my insurance policy, but never used them. You'll find copies of pictures and reports from private investigators as well as personal notes from McDermot regarding every man he has blackmailed while I was working for him. I'm not sure whether it will help you because most of those men died on missions, but I know that a few are still alive. Perhaps when you find them they'd be willing to testify."

Steph took the folder, but Williams didn't let go.

"Please, I understand your motives and I feel sorry for Santos because I know how devious McDermot is, but keep me out of this. After everything I've been through I finally found peace in my life. I'm happy and I don't want to lose that."

"Nothing of this will reflect on you," Steph looked deep into his eyes so he could see how sincere she was. "I'll make sure of that."

When Williams was gone, Manny picked up his cup of coffee and moved over to her, sitting down in the chair the general's former assistant had just vacated. He and Hector had heard everything over their earpieces thanks to the little mic Steph carried.

"Wow. That's more than we expected," he said eying the brown folder on the table. "It will be a piece of cake for you to track down these soldiers and with a little luck they'll align themselves with Lester."

"Yeah, I had a good feeling about Williams. It makes me angry that McDermot dismissed him just because he's gay. Narrow-minded asshole," Steph uttered in disgust.

"Add that to the long list of reasons why he has to be brought down."

"Querida," Hector's voice sounded in their ears. "I followed the target to his office; it's on the other side of the park. Do you want me to stick around?"

"No, he gave us everything he has. Come back to the café and we can do lunch and plan our surveillance of McDermot."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

A few hours later Steph, Hector and Manny found themselves in their black Rangeman Explorer parked across the street from the Army Human Resources Command waiting for General McDermot to leave the impressive four-story building. For the past few days Hector and Manny had shadowed him to learn his routine. In addition, to top their surveillance off, they had put a tracker on McDermot's car so Rangeman Trenton could record his every move on the off chance that they had to build a case against him. This was about Lester's life and the motto was better safe than sorry. Today, however, was THE day. It was Friday; THAT Friday; the Friday Steph had waited for all along. Today they would unravel the secret of McDermot's mysterious credit card debits. Time, stealth and accuracy were of essence. They had to know where the general was going, what he was doing and whom he was meeting. Eventually, their patience was rewarded when McDermot's Lincoln MKX slid out of the parking lot and onto the street right in front of them. Hector started the motor and got into traffic two cars back from him.

"His background check has shown that he has neither real combat nor other security experience so I don't expect him to be very vigilant, but don't take any unnecessary chances," Steph cautioned from the backseat. "We don't want him to feel watched."

"No worries, Querida. He won't see us. We'll be like smoke."

As expected their trip brought them to the same ATM in Georgetown the General hit every other week and Manny made a few pictures of McDermot withdrawing the usual fifteen hundred dollars nervously looking around. The debiting immediately showed on the laptop Steph was balancing on her knees.

"Alright, let's see where he goes now."

A moment later, Hector cautiously got back into traffic and followed the General at a safe distance.

"He's just aimlessly driving around," Manny commented after they'd cruised through Georgetown for nearly twenty minutes.

Next to him Hector snorted, "Perdedor… loser. He thinks he's smart and low-key, but he doesn't know shit."

"He's slowing down."

Decelerating, Hector slid to a stop at the curb and they watched McDermot turning into the underground garage of the luxurious Fairmont Hotel.

"Nice," Manny whistled. "Okay, Steph, you wait in the car. Hector and I will hit the lobby and see what happens. It's better if McDermot doesn't spot you in case we need you for a distraction later."

The two men lithely exited the SUV and vanished in the crowd on the sidewalk. Manny was still in his business suit acting as executive while Hector had covered his gang-tattoos with artist make-up and was dressed smart casual. They'd both fit in the hotel's ambiance without drawing attention. Intently listening to the noises in her earpiece, Steph tried to follow the happenings in the lobby. They really had to find out what the General was after. He behaved so conspicuously that it must be something shady.

"Alright," Hector's voice sounded in her ear. "I see McDermot leaving the elevator and walking over to the reception desk."

"I'll get in line behind him," Manny immediately replied and started to move.

A moment later Steph heard a man and woman talking politely, the mic at Manny's lapel capturing their voices perfectly.

"Is that the General?" She asked, hoping Hector would answer her.

"Yes, querida. Manny's standing behind him slightly to the side."

"Mr. Johnson, what a pleasure to see you again," the receptionist said to McDermot. "The Fairmont feels honored to have you back. Your Deluxe King suite is waiting for you; your dinner table at the Juniper is booked for seven PM. Here is your key. We hope you'll have a pleasant stay."

"Johnson; he's using an alias. He's walking over to the elevators. I'll follow him," Hector's quiet voice came through Steph's earpiece.

"Welcome to the Fairmont," the warm and caring voice of the receptionist sounded again in Steph's ear. "How may I help you?"

"I'd like to book a room on the fifth floor," Manny told her politely, his voice calm and self-assured mirroring the powerful aura he was emanating.

"Does it have to be the fifth floor, sir? We are fully booked."

"Yes, I have to be adamant about that."

As the conversation between Manny and the receptionist continued, Steph could hear the ding of an elevator bell in her earpiece.

"After you, please," Hector said politely and Steph could imagine him beckoning McDermot to pass him before discreetly following their target. Focusing back on the conversation between Manny and the receptionist, Steph could hear that things were about to be settled.

"Here is your key, sir. The Fairmont is pleased to welcome you as our guest. We hope everything will be to your full satisfaction. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact our room service that will be happy to help you twenty-four hours."

"Steph, Hector," Manny said as soon as he'd turned his back to the front desk. "Our suite is 514, right next to the General's. We'll meet upstairs. Wifey, bring our surveillance gear from the trunk."

Steph got out of the Explorer, picked up the rolling suitcase that held all of Hector's electronic gizmos and entered the upscale lobby of the Fairmont Hotel. The ambience of wealth and sterling quality took her breath away, but she quickly put her game face on, headed confidently to the bank of elevators and found her way up to the fifth floor.

"I have to admit I'm a bit out of my comfort zone here. You have more experience in high-level surveillance, Hector. What do you suggest?"

Steph, Manny and Hector were sitting on the couch and armchairs around the coffee table in the lounge of their suite and mulled over how to proceed.

"Let's see. It's six PM. He has made a reservation for seven PM. I don't think anything will happen until then. Go down to the hotel's restaurant and bribe the maître d' to place you and Manny next to the general for dinner at 1900. That way the two of you can listen in to any conversation that might happen in case he gets company. I will outfit you with a very sensitive listening and recording device so we'll have anything said on tape. While you and McDermot are having dinner I will gain access to his suite and wire it with microphones and cameras. We don't know what will happen so we should prepare for anything."

"I think it might be a good idea to drive back to our hotel and get a different set of clothes; something sharp in case we have to tail McDermot later tonight plus we'll need every laptop we have with us to monitor the cameras," Manny wondered out loud.

"I can do that," Steph nodded and immediately stood up, glad there was something she could contribute to their plan.

"No Wifey, you and I need to check whether it's a male or female maître d' at the Juniper and then one of us has to talk her or him into giving us the table next to McDermot's. Hector should run back to our hotel. He also knows what else tech-wise we need."

"Okay. I have a black classy halter-dress that's knee-length and black 3-inch heels in my suitcase," Steph nodded to Hector. "They should do. And for you two, I suggest classy slacks with button-ups and dress shoes."

Hector nodded and wordlessly left the room.

"Guess that leaves us to bribe the maître d'," Manny smiled and counted the Benjamins in his money clip.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"Uh," Steph groaned and slumped back in her armchair. "I'm not cut out for this surveillance shit. How can you sit stock-still for hours staring at these damned screens. That's like having monitor duty."

On the couch next to her Hector chuckled.

"Patience, querida. You see how he's bustling around? He's prepping for something, somebody, and the fact that he's repeatedly looking at his watch is telling me that his visitor will soon arrive."

It was nearing nine PM and nothing had happened so far. Steph and Manny had had a delicious dinner at the Juniper sitting next to McDermot holding hands and learning zilch. Afterwards they had followed him to the hotel bar and had seen him having two drinks, again not talking with anybody. Now they were camped out together with Hector in front of five heavily loaded laptops and watched him showering, shaving and moving furniture around.

"He's going back into the bathroom," Hector murmured, clicking on some keys to zoom in.

"Please, I can't see him naked one more time without gagging. How could you even wire the bathroom?"

"Because we can't risk missing anything," Manny explained while Hector was busy with the keyboard. "Imagine he's meeting someone and they vanish into the seclusion of the bathroom to avoid any possible audience. Sometimes being a voyeur and getting to see the ugly is part of the job, Wifey."

"I'll need bleach to get rid of the pictures burned into my retinas."

That caused both men to laugh out loud. They were still chuckling, their attention split between McDermot and Steph, when the happenings on the screen in front of them made them freeze.

"What. The. Fuck?"

Hector, Manny and Steph stared speechless at the screen showing McDermot in the bathroom, divesting his bathrobe, putting on the clothes he'd brought with him. Just that they weren't what anyone would expect. In front of their stunned eyes the general slipped into a pair of skin-tight black latex briefs, put on nipple-clamps that were connected by a delicate chain and fastened a wide, spiked collar around his throat.

"Hot damn," Manny whistled. "That's going to be interesting."

"That's...," Steph stuttered. "That's not what I think it is, right?"

"Oh yeah, it is, Wifey. Our mighty general, who abuses his power whenever he can, likes to be dominated."

A sound at the door to McDermot's suite, one long, two short and another long knock, made Steph, Hector and Manny perk up their ears and they followed the man in question on the screens walking over, opening the door and stepping back with his head bowed and his eyes glued to the floor.

"I see you are ready," an elegantly dressed woman stepped into the room pulling a small rolling suitcase, her voice condescending, her eyes barely giving him an once-over. "Go into your corner and down on your knees. You know what will happen if you move."

"Yes, mistress," McDermot answered quickly, never looking up, before he walked straight over to the opposite side of the living room, got down on his knees with his back to the room, his head bent and his eyes on the floor.

On the screens Steph, Manny and Hector followed the woman moving through the suite, unpacking different whips, paddles, gags, ropes, cuffs and shackles and an assortment of electronic gadgets Steph couldn't decipher.

"What's all that?" She asked appalled, not sure she even wanted to know.

"Well," Manny coughed slightly. "There's an electronic shock cock cage, shock therapy clamps, that," he pointed at something small and black, "looks like a shock therapy butt plug and that is a leather harness with electrodes for current surges."

Steph had her hands over her mouth and stared in horror as the woman arranged the items throughout the living room and bedroom. Finally, she took her suitcase to the bathroom, undressed and slipped into latex pants, a latex crop top and five-inch stiletto boots. Taking a whip with a vast number of long leather cords, the woman strode over to McDermot and stopped a couple yards away from him.

"Turn around and come here."

When McDermot made a move to stand up the cords of the whip pelted down on his back leaving angry marks all over the skin.

"On your knees, slave."

"Yes, mistress."

Cowering, McDermot slid over to her until he knelt in front of her."

"You are worthless. Kiss my feet."

"Yes, mistress," McDermot breathed devotedly and bent forward to press his lips on the tips of her boots.

"Repeat what I say. You are worthless."

"I'm worthless, mistress."

"You need to be punished."

"I need to be punished, mistress. Please, punish me."

The woman put one of her boots to McDermots shoulder and kicked him over so he lay on his back in front of her.

"Don't you dare look at me."

"I won't."

The toe of the boot landed on his chest while the stiletto bored into his sternum.

"**I** am your ruler. **I** am the authority. **I** will make sure that once I'm finished with you you will know your place in this world."

McDermot lay silently on the floor, but the glow on his face, the simmering fervor in his eyes, gave away how much he enjoyed the manhandling.

"Put the gag in your mouth and get on your knees and hands so I can give you what you deserve."

McDermot instantly obeyed and did what he was told. Once he was gagged and on all fours, the mistress walked in circles around him, the cords of the whip gently brushing over his back. Without any warning, she took a big swing and flogged the whip down on the generals back causing him to moan around the gag and crumple.

"Get up, you unworthy loser."

McDermot complied and the game repeated itself. After the woman had flogged him for all she was worth, he lay spent on the floor, breathing heavily, but looking satisfied. Over the course of the next couple hours he got cuffed, shackled and tied up. Whips and paddles caressed him right before they inflicted crucial pain. When the electric shock gadgets came into play, Steph had tears streaming down her face while her hands muffled the horrified noises coming from her mouth.

"Wifey, go," Manny laid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his body. "Don't watch this. Go to the bedroom and turn on the TV. It will just get uglier from here. You don't have to see that."

Steph was nauseated, but she couldn't bring herself to look away from the scenes of abuse unfolding themselves on the screens in front of her. McDermot's skin was red and swollen and welts were covering his back and front where he got whipped. His facial features around the gag were contorted and tears were streaming down his cheeks, but his eyes were filled with so much love and devotion that it surpassed Steph's comprehension.

"Querida," Hector appeared in her field of vision as he crouched down in front of her. "This isn't good for your soft heart. Listen to Manny and go. He and I will watch and record the rest."

All Steph could do was shake her head. "I want to see this. I need to see this. I want to see the abyss he's descending into. I need to know what people are capable of doing."

Hector and Manny both chanced a quick glance at each other and saw the ugly truth in the other's eyes. If Steph thought this was sick they needed to protect her by all means from what they knew would happen next.

"No," Manny spoke up, his voice leaving no room for discussion. "You will not watch this any longer." He quickly picked her up and cradled her to his chest as he started to move towards the suite's bedroom. "Come Wifey, we'll go together. Hector can keep an eye on things."

"But…"

"No but. Believe me, Steph. Preserve your light and pure soul; it's precious. It soothes our tainted ones."

"You aren't tainted; none of you."

"Oh yes, we are and nothing you could say could convince anyone of us from the opposite," Manny answered, closing the door behind him before walking over to the bed.

"How comes that you recognized all the things that woman unpacked from that suitcase?" Steph asked after he had her settled in the middle of the king-size bed and turned on the TV.

"You don't want to know, Wifey."

"Please, tell me, Manny. Are you into this stuff?"

Beside her, Manny wished a hole would open up next to him that he could vanish in. He didn't want Steph to look differently at him or worse to avoid him because of his sick sexual preferences.

"Tell me. I won't regard you differently," Steph whispered, her eyes trained on Manny's face.

Sighing, Manny took both her hands in his and kissed them in turn. "Yes, Steph. I'm into BDSM. Not into the kind of violence you have seen tonight, but into the game of bondage and discipline as well as dominance and submission."

"Do you hurt people or are you the one being hurt?"

"The way I play the game nobody gets hurt, but I have to admit that a certain level of pain arouses me."

"Why?"

Next to her Manny hesitated for a moment. "Everybody has other reasons why they are into that life-style, but for me… damn Steph, it's hard to talk with you about that. I don't want you to pull back from me."

"I won't Manny. I might not understand why you are doing what you are doing, but I know that you love me and would never hurt me and I love you right back."

Sighing again, Manny squeezed Steph's hands and put his brow on them so he wouldn't have to see her face. It was a very devoted posture and Steph couldn't help but free one of her hands and comfortingly brush it through his hair.

"I like to be dominated, Wifey," he finally spoke up, his forehead never leaving its resting place. "I'm used to taking the reins, to commanding men subordinated to me. Everything in my job is about being in control. I have to control situations, have to control others, and I have to control myself. The moment I can surrender the power to somebody else and follow their commands I can finally relax and wind down. My day-to-day life doesn't allow that."

"Do you have someone special you go to when you have these needs?"

"No. The last time I was out in search for this special pleasure was about six months ago. I went to a club in New York that is serving the BDSM clientele. Everything happened in the rooms of that club; I didn't even ask for her name."

Finally, Manny lifted his head and looked at Steph, his expression vulnerable and insecure. "Don't think bad of me, Steph. I couldn't stand that."

"Never," she shook her head, pushed him over and snuggled into his chest. "You are who you are and you are wonderful the way you are. I don't judge you and as long as it makes you happy you'll have my full support. Perhaps one day you will find a woman whose name will interest you, who you want to show your home and with whom you will discover all that relaxation that right now you can just find in this special kind of role play."

"I'd like that," Manny smiled, pulled her closer and started to zap through the channels in search of something they'd both like to watch.

In the room next to them, Hector sat in front of the laptops, watching the screens and gagged internally. He might be street and harder than any of his colleagues at Rangeman, but he wasn't into violence when it came to sex. In the suite next door things were getting down to business. McDermot and his mistress had switched to the bedroom and he was tied up with ropes, a new gag with a leather construction in his mouth, wearing the electro-shock harness and the electro-shock cock cage and Hector could see him convulsing on the bed jerking off in powerful orgasms as the woman handled the gadgets. He was glad that Manny had taken Steph with him. She didn't need to see this. One thing was sure. Lester no longer had to worry about his contract or anything else; the general would go down. He checked in under an alias, paid a high-class dominatrix one thousand five hundred bucks to abuse him in the ugliest way and they had it all on tape. McDermot was an outstanding member of the Army. He couldn't risk that his secret would be unveiled.

It was one o'clock in the morning when the woman finally left, leaving the general in a pitiful heap on the bed. Nonetheless their surveillance wasn't finished. They'd continue to monitor him throughout the night and follow him when he'd check out of the hotel in a few hours. The door to the bedroom opened and Hector lifted his head quirking an eyebrow at a disheveled looking Manny.

"Steph's fast asleep," Manny whispered and silently walked over to where Hector was sitting on the couch. "The show's over?"

"Yeah, the woman packed up her things, got her money and left ten minutes ago."

"Good. That should be enough for Lester to blackmail that asshole into accepting his termination."

"You told Steph about your sexual preferences?"

Flinching, Manny turned his head to the man next to him. "Is there anything you don't know?"

"Not much. I'm the eyes and ears at Rangeman."

* * *

_**That was fun to write. I'm absolute vanilla and proud of it so believe me when I say I had to swallow hard and repeatedly when I surfed the www in search for information about BDSM toys and practices. Definitely broadened my horizone :-)) ... now leave me your comments, long, short, positive or shocked - everything is welcome. I'd love to hit the 255 mark.**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Hey Babes, thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews. Yay you, Yay me, Yay everybody! I did my own personal moonwalk when I saw them all the next day. Okay, I admit my three puppies lay on the bed watching me, internally shaking their heads, but who cares... :-)**_

_**This chapter is mellow so you can take a breather after the last one, but I dared to put a little cliffie at the end. Thank you to WizardsWoman for taking the time and eliminating the worst errors.**_

_**Disclaimer: If you recognize them from the books, they belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 12 **

"You okay, Wifey? Do you need help with anything?"

Manny slid between the backrest of the couch and Steph, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest before pressing a tender kiss on her cheek. There were no words for how relieved he was that Steph and he were still tight after his confession so he'd made sure that he showed her at every wake moment. Three days had passed since that night at the Fairmont and he'd waited on her hand and foot ever since.

"Manny, you have to stop that," Steph squeezed the hands clasped on her stomach as she leaned back against his chest.

"Stop what?" He murmured with a smile while playfully nuzzling her curls.

"Being so… unmanny-ish."

"Unmanny-ish?" He chuckled. "And how am I when I'm unmanny-ish?"

"Like you are now… devoted, cuddly, tender. Don't get me wrong. I love all these attributes in a man when the situation calls for it, but with you, between us, it feels wrong."

"What do you mean?" Manny asked more serious.

Turning around so she was sitting between his splayed legs, facing him, Steph cupped Manny's cheek and rubbed her thumb thoughtfully back and forth. "The way it is now every single gesture from you is tinged with unease and insecurity. That's not you and it makes me uncomfortable, as though I have to walk on eggshells around you. I mean if this is the side of you that is hidden beneath your unshakable self-control and self-assured, powerful charisma I can't emphasize enough what a wonderful, wonderful man you are, but I need to be sure that everything's okay between us."

For the longest moment Manny was silent, his eyes focused on his hands that lay in Steph's lap. "What if you are right and I feel uneasy and insecure?" He asked quietly.

"You don't have to," Steph took his chin between her thumb and index-finger and lifted his head until he was looking at her. "It was incredibly brave to tell me about your longing to be dominated and submit yourself. Thank you so much for your trust. But now you have to believe me when I tell you that nothing has changed between us."

"But that's not true, Steph," Manny shook his head and took her hands into his. "Everything has changed. Just a few days back I've been just another Rangeman for you; street-smart, self-assured, always in control, a textbook example of an alpha male. Now you know my deepest secret that completely contradicts my Rangeman persona and though I know that I can absolutely trust you I've never felt as vulnerable as I feel at the moment. I don't know what the problem is. I relinquish my control and leave behind everything that constitutes me whenever I put my collar on and search for a mistress, but with you it's different. You have the power to really hurt me. Physical pain can't do anything to me; it's something that I enjoy to a certain degree; but you using your knowledge against me would crush me. And…," he hesitated and swallowed hard. "And I'm scared. I can't remember the last time I was so scared."

Steph squeezed his hands and watched them resting in her lap as she thought about what to say.

"When was the last time you opened your heart to someone and trusted them to take good care of it?" She finally asked, her eyes never leaving their entwined hands.

"That's a long time ago," Manny answered after a moment of thinking. "I think I was sixteen. My dad and my mom fought a lot, had done so for years. They might have loved each other at one time, but that love had turned into disgust and most of the time I was the center of their fights. One afternoon my father wanted me to accompany him on a walk. We talked from man to man and when he asked how I was, I told him truthfully how much I suffered under the constant fights at home, how I lay in my bed at night and cried because I was so despaired. It wasn't very manly, but it was the truth. He asked me whether I'd feel better if he and mom would part ways and I said perhaps. I mean… what was I supposed to say? I was a kid and I just wanted the fighting to stop and us to be a loving family again. The next day he was gone and left me with my mom, whom he told that it was my idea and that I wanted him to leave. My mother put the blame on me and tried to commit suicide, twice. First she overdosed on sleeping pills and then she cut her wrists; I found her both times. When I called my father and asked him for help he told me that it was my own fault. I had gotten my wish, now I had to live with the consequences. He no longer felt responsible for me. After her second unsuccessful suicide attempt my mother refused to take care of me and so I was put in a foster home for the remaining two years until I became eighteen. That was the last time I trusted someone with my heart. My body? No problem. Whenever I submit myself to a dominatrix I relinquish the control to her trusting her that she takes care of my physical needs while I'm able to let go. But my heart? No, nobody gets control over that."

Steph wrapped her arms around Manny's neck and pulled herself close to his chest. When she felt him nuzzling her neck, snuggling into her, she couldn't help but press a soft kiss to the exposed skin of his throat.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Manny."

"Don't be," he mumbled into her neck. "That's an eternity ago. I guess that afternoon and the following years shaped me more than I like to admit."

Steph let go of his neck, snuggled up to him and started to play with his shirt while mentally prepping for what she wanted to say. She had to make him see that he could trust her to keep his heart safe and what better way to do that than putting your own heart on the line.

"You aren't just another Rangeman for me, never have been," she finally told him quietly, her fingers playing with the buttons of his shirt. "Truth be told, I think you are incredibly sexy and tempting. I love all the guys, but you always have awoken a desire in me that had nothing to do with the friendship I feel for the other men. There's something about you, not just your looks but all those contradictions, that attracts me. You are very fierce, yet your eyes sometimes show a softness that stands in complete contrast to that. You hold everybody at an arm's length, yet you like to touch and be touched. You are as controlled as everybody else if not more and yet you don't hide behind a blank mask but let me see what is going on in your mind. You've captivated my interest from the moment I got to know you and I often dreamed about how it would feel to be with you, to feel your lips on mine and your arms around me in something else than a friendly hug." Steph took a deep breath and resisted the urge to touch her flaming cheeks. God, this was hard but she wasn't finished. "Do you remember that distraction where we two posed as a couple in that swinger club? You and I gyrated on the dance floor trying to attract the skip's attention and I was so hot and bothered. With your perfect moves and hot body you danced me into a state. When the skip was finally in safe custody, my whole body was burning with desire for you. Back then, Ranger had once more made clear that there could never be anything between us aside from casual sex and I can't do that. I'm not cut out that way. So that night I got drunk in the safety of my apartment and made plans on how to make you my man. Everything was planned out; how I'd approach you, what I would say, what you would answer. I had it all planned right up to the happily ever after. I just couldn't bring myself to act on it. For two months, I sneaked around you, tried to gather my courage to talk to you. That time was hell on my hormones. Then one afternoon after work I finally kicked myself in the butt, walked down to your apartment and knocked on your door. You opened it and smiled at me and you looked so yummy I completely forgot what I wanted to say. I remember that I struggled for words when I saw the suitcase behind you. Obviously, you were about to leave and just like that I caved in. Instead of standing up for what I want I listened to the small voice in my mind telling me what a stupid idea that was and that you leaving was a sign that we weren't meant to be. That night I gave up my dream of ever being with you and went back to pining after Ranger."

Manny was stunned. Never in his life had he expected to hear something like that.

"Wifey," he whispered full of devotion and tightened his arms around her.

"Assuming, I had worked up the nerve to talk to you, would you have given us a chance?" Steph asked after a couple minutes of them just cuddling in silence.

"I don't know, Wifey. You know my secret. I have these sick sexual needs and I don't think a relationship between us would have worked out. I mean, maybe it would have and I'd never felt the longing for a BDSM game again, but I guess I would have refused to engage in anything serious with you for fear of hurting you when eventually it turned out I can't live without that special lifestyle. Better safe than sorry because hurting you is the last thing on earth I want. You are way too precious and important for that."

Steph nodded her head that she understood. "The story of my life," she chuckled bitterly. "The men I'm interested in don't want anything more than casual sex and those who want a relationship with me suffocate me with their demands."

That caused Manny to gently push her back so she was sitting between his splayed legs and he could see her face. "My precious, tempting Wifey," he lifted both his hands and stroked her cheeks. "You are the most wonderful woman I know. There's nothing wrong with you; the mistake is Ranger's and mine. Any guy you want should consider himself fortunate to be loved by you. Believe me if I could be sure I wouldn't hurt you someday I would sweep you of your feet, bed you on rose pedals and never let you go. I am the sick and faulty one; not you."

Keeping her eyes down, Steph nodded but couldn't prevent the small tears from running down her cheeks. It wasn't that she still longed for Manny, her heart had healed, but the rejection still hurt.

"Oh Wifey," Manny whispered, pulled her to him and kissed the tears away before pressing the most tender kiss on her lips. "Perhaps the experiences of his last mission will change Ranger's mind and he will open himself up to a relationship with you. If not I promise I will help you find a good man for you that will love you the way you deserve to be loved; wholeheartedly without holding back. I know several guys at Rangeman who would die for a chance to date you."

That made Steph chuckle and finally look up. "I like the idea of them having to pass your approval before they are allowed to take me out."

"Oh, I would give them a hard time and enjoy every second of it, believe me," Manny laughed.

After smiling with him Steph eventually snuffled and took a deep cleansing breath before grabbing his hands and squeezing them. "See, now we both know the other's deepest secret and there's no more reason for feeling awkward around each other. We could both hurt each other, but we will never do that. Instead, we will take good care of the other's heart, right?"

"Right," Manny nodded. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it? Stepping out of your comfort zone and telling me about your feelings for me so I would feel better about you knowing about my BDSM lifestyle."

"All is fair in love and war," Steph shrugged and smiled up at him.

A knock at the door made them both turn their heads and when Lester entered the hotel room a second later with Hector in his wake, Steph nearly fell from the couch out of sheer joy.

"Beautiful, my little spider monkey," Les laughed as he caught her mid-air. "I could get used to this kind of greeting."

With Steph wrapped around him like a chimp he stepped further into the room and shook Manny's hand who had stood up from the couch.

"Good to see you, man," Lester nodded at his colleague.

"Same here. You ready to put an end to the general's power over you?"

"Fucking A. Can't wait to learn what you have and face that asshole."

Hector brought some water from the small fridge in the room and they had just settled down on the couch and armchairs to discuss their findings when Lester's cell phone rang.

"Santos."

"Bobby here. You already at the hotel?"

"Just arrived."

"Alright. Put a smile on your face and listen. Dr. Wheeler just called. Ranger's condition is declining; the bacteria are spreading. They are prepping him for surgery as we talk and will start amputating the left foot and the lower right leg in the hope of saving the rest. I don't want Steph to know. There isn't anything she could do right now. As soon as you are back I will tell her and together we can fly to Germany."

* * *

_**(looking at the screen wide-eyed and bushy-tailed) ... now what?**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Hey Babes, what am I to do? First there was Tank with his promise to take Steph on a date that she wouldn't forget. Next came the mushy Christmas chapter with Bobby. Followed shortly afterwards by Lester's declaration of love where he tells Steph that he knows that she wants Ranger, but that he'd love her deeply and long for her nonetheless. And now? Manny. My sweet, sweet Manny. So many possibilities to turn this story into a tart story. Can you tell that I'm a tart at heart and love my merry men? Sigh. **_

_**No worries, Babes, I'm determined to stick to my original plan, BUT I have a GREAT idea for a spin off story for Manny. :-)))**_

_**To those who were shocked about me chopping up Ranger: Remember the mission he was on and how he almost died? He SURVIVED, but he has to pay a price. Otherwise, I don't think he would change his mind regarding a relationship with Steph.**_

_**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, favs and follows I got for the last chapter. You all sure know how to make me feel special. :-)**_

_**Disclaimer: They are still not mine... unfortunately.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 13**

"And you are absolutely sure you want to do this, Beautiful?" Les looked deep into Steph's eyes trying to read the truth in them.

"Absolutely. I want to be there when you confront him with our findings. I want to make clear that if he fucks with you, he fucks with me," Steph replied, her facial expression and posture determined.

"I don't know. I don't want you to be on his radar."

"Lester, the moment we leave his office he will be destroyed; his only chance for a graceful valediction will be an immediate resignation from all his duties. He will no longer pose a threat; not to you, not to me, not to anybody else."

"What do you think?" Lester looked over Steph's head at Hector and Manny who leaned against the back of the couch watching them.

"Estephania is strong," Hector answered Lester's question, his heavy accent giving his speech a lovely tune. "She knows what she's doing. Trust her."

"Hector's right, Lester. You know I'm the first in line when it comes to protecting Steph, but Wifey has grown up over these past weeks. I feel confident that she can handle the situation and I think we should all take a step back and let her fly. After all she was the spearhead of this operation; every piece of information we have you have to thank her for. Besides, it would add another layer of significance to the meeting if Steph would be there. The general would know that this was no longer just between you and him but that there were other witnesses who know about his dark deeds and will testify against him if he shouldn't comply."

"Thanks," Steph mouthed to Manny before turning back to Lester and looking at him expectantly.

"Alright, alright," Lester threw his hands in the air and smiled. "I bow to the majority. Beautiful, there's a general who needs to be shredded to smithereens and I'd feel honored if you would accompany me to his demise."

"Always at your service," Steph beamed and hugged him quickly before he knew what was happening.

Half an hour later Lester, Hector, Manny and Steph sat in their Explorer, parked across from the Army Human Resources Command, and checked their equipment.

"Talk to me so I can check the mics," Hector ordered from the passenger seat and Steph and Lester both quickly said something. "Bien. They are both working," he nodded, his eyes never leaving the equalizer shown on the screen of his laptop. "We will hear everything that is said and record it just in case. Here are your earpieces," Hector handed the two small skin-colored receivers over to them and Lester and Steph put them in their ears. "Can you hear me?" Hector spoke into the microphone of his headset, causing both his friends in the backseat to nod. "Good. Querida, here is the mini cam," he handed Steph a small brooch for the lapel of her business jacket. "Try to sit up straight so that the general will be on camera."

Steph nodded tersely and attached the brooch to her clothes watching it immediately transferring footage of the inside of the SUV to Hector's laptop. She was already tensed up with the adrenalin that was coursing through her veins, but her pulse was calm and steady. It was time to kick some serious ass and she was ready.

"Beautiful?"

Lester stood next to her and offered her his hand. She hadn't seen him getting out of the SUV much less coming around to her side and opening her door, but there he was, smiling down at her with his sparkling green eyes. It didn't matter that they'd never be in a relationship the way Lester would love to be; she'd do just about anything for him.

"Let's go, Les, and shoot down that asshole that thinks he can fuck with my best friend."

"Mmmmh, Beautiful. Hearing you talk like that makes me salute in all the right places," he waggled his eyebrows at her. "Are you marking your territory?"

"You bet, Mister. You are mine to rule; hear me roar," Steph stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a tender kiss to Lester's cheek.

A few minutes later, the two approached the desk of the general's assistant. A young man in his early twenties sat in front of a pile of files and appeared a little lost.

"Lieutenant Lester Santos," Les introduced himself. "I want to speak with General McDermot."

The young man jumped up and saluted, visibly intimidated.

"Lieutenant, may I ask whether you have an appointment with the General?" He squeaked, nervously looking toward the heavy mahogany door leading to McDermot's office.

"No, Private, but if you tell him that I'm here I'm sure he will meet me."

"Of course."

Little pearls of perspiration appeared on the young man's brow as he sat back down and jittery reached for the phone.

"General McDermot?... I'm sorry to bother you, but Lieutenant Santos is here and wants to talk to you… I understand… Yes, sir."

Taking a deep breath, the Private looked up and met Lester's eyes.

"Please, go through that door," he pointed to the mahogany double door. "The general will receive you."

"Poor boy," Steph whispered as Les pulled her toward the General's office. "He looked as though he was short of having a panic attack."

"That's what McDermot does to you if you lack the backbone to stand up to him. You ready?"

"Yep."

With a forceful push Lester opened the heavy wooden door and together they stepped into the General's sanctum. McDermot sat behind his impressive desk, mulling over some papers, not taking notice of them. This was **his** domain and the intruder had to wait until **he** was ready and willing to address them; especially that bastard Santos. Lester knew that power game of being ignored and he didn't give shit about it. He was finished with the man in front of him. So instead of respectfully waiting at parade rest behind the guest chairs to be addressed, he helped Steph to sit down before taking a seat next to her. That caused McDermot to look up and satisfied Lester saw the surprise flickering over his face when he became aware of the woman sitting next to him.

"I don't remember telling you to take a seat. You want to get a disciplinary warning letter because of insubordination, Santos?" He finally growled, looking back down at the papers in front of him to compose himself.

"You can do whatever you want; I no longer care. Your word won't be worth the paper it's written on when I'm finished with you."

That caused the General to look up and eye the man in front of him suspiciously.

"It suits me just fine that you are here," he eventually said condescendingly. "I have an assignment for you, but to discuss that the civilian has to go," McDermot didn't even look at Steph as he dismissed her.

"The civilian as you call her will stay and there won't be any more assignments," Les growled, his piercing eyes throwing daggers at the General.

"Excuse me?" the elder man cocked an eyebrow at the two people sitting in front of him. "You have no say in the matter, Santos. Your life belongs to the government; it belongs to me. I decide when you are finished and since you just renewed your contract for another four years you will obey my every wish."

Next to Lester, Steph crossed her legs provocatively as her eyes zeroed in on the General. "I can see what you meant when you told me that he suffers under delusions," she said disdainfully in Les' direction, shaking her head while looking McDermot over.

"This is nothing," Lester replied, never taking his eyes from the man in front of him. "You should see him when he gains momentum. He can be a real charmer."

"How dare you! Out of my office. Now!" The General spat at Steph, towering over her, his eyes holding a dangerous gleam as he stared at her.

"Sorry, Mr. McDermot," she answered coolly, completely ignoring his anger, "but I have a few documents as well as audio and video recordings that I'd like to share with you. Please, take a seat."

"Santos," McDermot growled menacingly, leaning heavily on his desk. "You will immediately remove this woman from my office or you'll pay dearly."

"General," Lester smiled at him. "I already told you she stays and if I were in your spot, I'd do as she asked. She said please after all."

Next to him, Steph was busy firing up a laptop and putting it on McDermot's desk.

"May I now kindly ask you to take a seat and listen to this audio-file," she eventually smiled sweetly at the General, completely oblivious to his wrath.

A moment later McDermot's hateful voice filled the room.

_You so much as fart the wrong way and I will squash you like a moth. Your life belongs to me, bastard… You fuck with me, Santos, you are a dead man. I will take care that you won't survive your next mission and I'll make sure that Mañoso won't survive either… Your lives are worth shit… If you don't renew your contract none of your friends and family is safe from me. I have men at my disposal, Santos. Accidents happen._

McDermot looked at the laptop, his face blank, but his jaw was working. He knew that having his threats on tape didn't bode well for him.

"Before you dig a hole for yourself by uttering more threats," Steph spoke up, all business, taking the folder Lester was handing her, "you should take a look at this," she put the file in front of the General who finally took a seat and reached for his reading glasses. "These documents detail how you abused your power to gather compromising information about men under your command and blackmailed them into renewing their contracts. They gave you their notice, but you threatened them to tell their wives about their infidelities, denounce their alcohol or gambling addiction or destroy their kid's future if they wouldn't re-up. Several of these men are dead either because they died on one of the missions you sent them on or because they could no longer deal with the impressions of their assignments and committed suicide, but I found those alive and they are willing to testify against you."

McDermot sat stock-still in his swanky leather swivel chair and leveled a cold gaze at Steph. "What do you want?"

"I want you to watch this little footage I had the loathsome pleasure of making," her cold eyes barely covered the disgust and repulsion she felt.

Next to her Lester lounged in his chair, watched the show and enjoyed himself immensely. Steph in control was a major turn on and seeing the color slowly draining from the General's face held a satisfaction that was beyond words.

"The little movie is twenty minutes long and I suggest you lean back and get comfortable because you will watch every single minute of it," Steph growled as she turned the laptop so that McDermot could fully see the screen and started the film.

For the next twenty minutes, the office was filled with the sounds of the dominatrix' verbal abuse, of different whips and paddles hitting bare skin, of McDermot's muffled moans and cries, and finally of the disgusting sounds of his climax when he got juiced by the electric gadgets. Hector had done a perfect job of creating a movie that showed the worst of the General's sick sexual preferences and Steph felt nauseated just listening to it. When it was over, she wordlessly packed up the laptop, took the folder still lying in front of McDermot and sat back down in her chair. Her job was done; now it was Lester's turn to close in for the kill. You could have heard a pin drop it was so silent in the room. The General sat in his chair, his face ghostly white, and didn't utter a word.

"This is how we will do it," Lester's cold commanding voice filled the office, sending shivers down Steph's spine. "Before you'll leave today, you'll have forwarded the notice I sent you two months ago, approved and effective immediately, confirming that I am out. In addition you'll have referred every asset under your command to other handlers, no exception. By the end of this day, I do not want any man's life depend on your good will. Last but not least, you have forty eight hours to take care of your affairs and hand in your immediate resignation. You will leave the Army and not look back or I swear I'll make your life a living hell. Should I not be a free man by the end of this afternoon, the information my partner presented to you will be anonymously released to all Generals not just within the Army but within every branch of the military plus a copy will go to the Washington Post. Should you dare to ignore my order to set your other assets free, the same will happen, the information will be released. Should you still be in office when the deadline of forty eight hours has passed, every single information about your death threats, abuse of power, blackmail and sexual perversion will be released. Did I make myself clear?"

McDermot looked at Lester and his eyes were filled with pure angst. This wasn't just about the shame he'd have to face when his pervert sexual preferences would come out but also about a dishonorable discharge and doing time in Fort Leavenworth for his disgraceful behavior and the crimes he had committed.

"Did I make myself clear?" Lester repeated his question, his voice calm and cold as ice.

"Yes."

Lester eyed him frostily. "Good. Don't think you can fool me; my eyes and ears are everywhere. If you don't acquiesce in the demands, if you deviate from them as much as a hair's breadth, I will know and you can say your last prayer. And should you think about sending someone after us; don't. It would just backfire. There are a lot of heads involved in this and how did you put it so nicely? Accidents happen." Turning to Steph, Les offered her his hand and together they stood up. "You have things to take care of, McDermot, so we won't bother you any longer. Have a good day."

The moment Lester stepped out of the building he pulled Steph into his arms and squeezed her against his chest. There were so many emotions washing over him he couldn't have named one even if he'd wanted.

"Thank you, Beautiful," he whispered in her ear, breathing in the scent of her shampoo and perfume, drawing her even closer into his embrace "What you did upstairs, how you handled that asshole, how you carried yourself, was matchless. I love you so much; now and for always; and I'll never forget what you've done for me today."

Steph leaned back, reached up and stroked Les' cheeks. In his eyes she could see his unconditional love and she hoped that he would see the matching love in hers.

"Best friends forever?"

"Forever and a day, Beautiful," Lester smiled, bent down and pressed a sassy, wet kiss on her lips.

A honk on the opposite side of the street made them step out of their embrace and turn around. Hector and Manny had both exited the Explorer and were smiling over to them.

"You could think they are as happy as I am," Lester grinned as he put his arm around Steph's shoulder and stirred her towards the street.

"Well, they are your friends. Of course they are happy that this chapter of your life is once and for all finished."

"You know what this means, Beautiful?"

"What?" Steph looked up at Lester grinning down at her.

"It's time we pack up our stuff and drive back to Trenton," he pulled her into his side and pressed another kiss on her curls. "I have it on good authority that a certain black Gulfstream is waiting to fly you back to the man of your dreams."

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_**A huge thank you to WizardsWoman for her advise and suggestions. You get what I mean when I struggle to find the right words and that's a great feeling. The next chapter Steph will be back at Ranger's side. I haven't started writing so it's all still up in the air: dark emotions, happy reunion, more chopping, who knows... (evil grin)  
**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Not much to say this time aside from thank you for all the wonderful reviews and new people I got to know. Fanfiction is a wonderful world. Oh, and WizardsWoman has once more put the finishing touches on the chapter.**_

_**Disclaimer: I'd love to own them, but I don't ... What a bummer :-)**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 14**

"Honey, I'm sorry. Please, talk to us," Bobby begged, watching Lester standing next to him with pain and regret written all over his face.

"There's nothing to talk about. You fucking lied to me. You didn't tell me that they had to amputate Ranger's foot and leg. How could you?" Steph snarled through the closed door.

They were on board of Rangeman's private jet on the flight from Trenton-Mercer Airport to Ramstein Air Force Base and Bobby and Lester were standing outside the small bathroom Steph had sought refuge in and felt miserable. Not telling her about Ranger's surgery sounded like a good idea back when it happened, but seeing the disappointment and hurt on her face now cut deep into Bobby's heart.

"Steph, Honey, please, let me explain…"

"What do you want to explain, Bobby?" Steph interrupted him after tearing open the door and stepping right into his personal space. "Why you withheld that important information from me? Why you abused my trust in you by not telling me? Oh wait," she sneered sarcastically, "you didn't just decide to not tell me. No. You led me on to believe that everything was alright. Asshole!" She shouted, pushing him backwards with both hands. "I thought you loved me, but that's not the way you treat people that you love."

"Beautiful…"

"NO! Do. Not. Beautiful. Me!" Steph wheeled around and jabbed her finger into Lester's chest as she growled. "You are just as much to blame as he is. You KNEW and you didn't say a word!"

Shaking with anger, she turned her back to the two men. Pricks. How could they betray her like that? Mad at her two friends and at herself for losing her composure, Steph wiped at the treacherous tears spilling down her cheeks and wondered where to go. She wanted to get away from Bobby and Lester, but she was on Rangeman's frigging Gulfstream. Short of grabbing one of the parachutes and jumping out of the plane she didn't see any chance to escape and as much as she dreamed of flying on her own that wasn't appealing.

"Steph," Bobby tried once more to calm the waves.

"No, Bobby. Leave me alone. I can't look at you right now without wanting peel the skin off your face… with a blunt spoon."

Huffing, Steph crossed her arms over her chest, walked over to one of the single leather armchairs and flopped down. Bobby and Lester darted a glance at each other and sighing decided for two opposing chairs on the other side of the jet. Seemed they were in for a long, silent flight. Not that they minded silent, but sharing space with a seething Steph wasn't exactly relaxing.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Steph asked two hours later, her quiet voice disturbing the heavy silence that filled the cabin.

Immediately, Bobby and Lester jumped up, relieved they were finally released out of their banishment and could talk to her.

"I'm sorry, Honey," Bobby squatted down next to Steph, reaching for her hand, while Les took the chair across from her. "I meant no harm. When I got the call from Dr. Wheeler, Lester had just arrived at your hotel in Washington and without thinking it really through I made the decision that it was better to keep this new development from you so you could fully concentrate on bringing McDermot down. Ranger and I needed you focused, giving one hundred percent for Les' benefit. Next to you he's my best friend and I felt helpless being left behind, not able to do anything. I mean, of course I was also worried about the bossman, but the news that they would have to go in and amputate didn't come as a surprise. With the infection changing for the worse I had expected it to happen. You had seen his feet before you left; you could see what he was up against, Stephanie, are you really surprised? "

"No, but what about Ranger?" Steph looked Bobby straight in the eyes, not even trying to cover her reproaches. "How do you think must he have felt losing his legs and being all alone dealing with it? His body is his temple, his excellent physical shape his capital, and now he has to come to terms with the fact that he will never be the same again. Everything changes for him; his apartments, the Rangeman buildings, they all have to be altered so they're wheelchair-accessible, he can no longer chase criminals, his stellar military career is over, he has to completely redefine himself. Dammit. He could have needed my support, but instead he was all alone."

"Beautiful, everything you said is true," Lester spoke up across from her, leaning forward so he could rub her thighs in what he hoped was a comforting way. "But all these changes and adjustments aren't made within a few days; those will take weeks and months. You can still be there for my cousin and help him through the hard times ahead of him. Have you ever thought of Ranger as someone who looks for comfort? Who looks for advice and support?"

Steph looked down at Les' hands on her legs and shook her head no. Ranger **gave** comfort, advice and support, but he didn't seek it.

"That's because he isn't wired that way. As long as I can remember, my cousin has brooded over problems on his own. He's never shared his thoughts with anybody else, has never accepted anybody's help. Every challenge, no matter how insurmountable they seemed, he had to master on his own. That's who he is; independent, proud, tight-lipped and aloof. His surgery was two days ago. I may be wrong, but I'm sure if you'd been there the past two days he would have asked you to leave him alone. He would have needed that alone time to come to terms with his new condition in his own way."

Looking out of the window, Steph tried to blink the tears away that threatened to form in her eyes.

"Before I left him he'd started to open up to me," she whispered eventually, her gaze fixed on some point in the sky. "We were getting closer. What if this new development causes him to pull back again? He's had two days to retreat into his mind and convince himself that he's no longer a man and not worth to be loved."

Lester took her chin between his thumb and index-finger and turned her head around so she'd face him.

"If that is the case, it will be his loss. None of it will be your fault. But tell me, since when does Stephanie Plum let herself get discouraged by one Ranger Mañoso's stubbornness? The last time we were there and he had his head up his ass you barreled ahead and put him straight **and** he listened to you. If there's one person who can get through to him it's you."

"I agree with Les, Honey. Don't over think things," Bobby leaned up and pressed a tender kiss on her cheek. "Let's see in what shape he is and go from there. You are not alone. Les and I are right by your side and together we'll handle his thick skull."

That thought caused Steph to snuffle and nod.

"Thank you, guys," she said sadly, "and sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was just so angry."

"And you had every right to be," Bobby smiled and squeezed her hand, "but really… peeling the skin off my face with a blunt spoon? That's just mean. How did you even come up with that idea?"

"I was really angry," Steph finally chuckled and hugged him forgivingly.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

_Ranger fought against the extreme heaviness in his body, but to no avail. It was cold, so indescribably cold, and without a doubt he knew he was dying, could feel life slowly leaving him. Desperately, he tried to move his arms and legs, but they didn't obey, the leaden weight in them pressing them down into the cold snow. Babe… Where are you?... Please, help me…_

"He's having a nightmare, Bobby," Steph said pained, watching Ranger moving restlessly in his sleep. "We need to wake him up so he knows that he's safe."

"No, Steph. Dreams help us to come to terms with what has happened to us. Interrupting them keeps us from dealing with those happenings," Bobby grabbed the hand that wanted to shake Ranger awake. "If he doesn't settle within the next few minutes you can wake him up, but for now let him try to sort things out on his own."

Unhappy, Steph pulled a chair next to Ranger's bed, sat down and bit her lower lip. They'd arrived at the Air Force Base a couple of hours ago, got settled at the Ramstein Inn and immediately came over to the hospital just to find Ranger asleep and once more in isolation. Apparently, Dr. Wheeler hadn't taken off enough of his legs and the remaining bacteria had managed to spread again. It didn't need a psychic to see the worry on the faces of the nurses and doctors. That didn't bode well for Ranger and while his breathing had further improved and he no longer needed additional oxygen, the arrhythmia had worsened and caused those responsible quite a headache.

_After fighting the darkness surrounding him for a while, Ranger was finally able to blink his eyes open and take in his surroundings. Daylight spilled into the crevice, not quite reaching the ground. That meant they had __managed_ _another night. The relief he felt lifted a little of the invisible weight pressing down on him. Scraping together his last vigor, he managed to turn his face toward his men. What he saw caused a blinding pain to explode in his chest. They were dead; their frozen, lifeless bodies lying seemingly peaceful next to each other. Oh god. He had failed them. They'd been so young, so full of life and now they were dead. That realization crushed him. Why couldn't he be in their place? Pulling in a ragged breath, Ranger let his head roll back and stared up at the sky, the rugged edge of the crevice like claws keeping him in his dark, cold prison. There was no escape and why should he even try? With his men no longer alive he could as well lay back and await his own demise. He had no right to live any longer, not even for his Babe. What a fucking waste; this mission, the lives of his men, life in general. Closing his eyes in defeat, Ranger let the dark heaviness take over and succumbed to a troubled sleep._

"Ranger? Ranger, wake up. You are safe," Steph pleaded quietly with the man lying in front of her, all the while holding his hand and soothingly rubbing her thumb up and down its back. "Open your eyes for me and see that everything is fine."

Ranger didn't come awake with a start, instead his eyes opened slowly and the bleak emptiness mirrored in them constricted Stephanie's throat to the point that she had trouble to breathe. There was no life in them, nothing of the usual vigilance and intensity. Upset, she watched him looking at her with a vacant expression before his eyes moved on to Bobby and Lester. Then, without ever saying a word, Ranger rolled onto his side and turned his back to them.

Steph felt the tears forming in her eyes. That was exactly what she'd been afraid of; Ranger retreating into his shell, pulling up walls around him. One of the guys stepped behind her, put a big calloused hand on her shoulder, and the next moment she recognized Bobby's Davidoff Cool Water right before he whispered in her ear, "go with Les and visit with the other guys. I will take care of Ranger and talk to him."

Defeated, Steph nodded, stood up, grabbed Lester's outstretched hand, and let him pull her towards the door. Before she stepped out of the room, she turned around for a last look at the man she loved. From her new vantage point she could see his face and the blank expression was gone. Instead she saw a deep sadness, anguish and desperation that filled her heart with pain and caused her free hand to come up to her chest.

"She was afraid that this would happen, you know?" Bobby spoke up after the door clicked shut behind his friends. "That you would pull back from her and retreat into your shell." Ranger lay with his back to him, ignoring him, but Bobby could see from the tension in his shoulders that he listened carefully. "I didn't tell her about your amputation, wanted her focused on the General for Lester's benefit. I knew the moment she'd hear about your surgery she'd be on her way to you. When I finally told her on the flight earlier she ripped me a new one," Bobby chuckled. "Damn, she was angry. Do you really want that anger unleashed on you when she realizes that once more you push her away after previously opening up to her? Or worse, do you want to hurt her, again, after everything she's been through because of you?"

For the longest time Ranger remained silent. Then, just before Bobby could start again, his defeated voice filled the room.

"I never made her any promises. She will go back to Morelli. It's better for both of us."

"Do you even hear the bullshit you are spewing? Morelli is history. Steph wants you."

"She wants the old me; someone who can protect her, who can care for her, someone on an equal footing. I'm no longer that person."

Bobby threw back his head and stared at the white ceiling, silently counting to ten.

"You don't know shit, man," he finally told the body in front of him. "This woman loves you; strengths, weaknesses, faults, everything. She doesn't care whether you have two healthy legs, kick ass on the street, or need a wheelchair to move around. She. Loves. You. That is such an amazing gift and you trample all over it."

Ranger lay on his side, his eyes fixed on the white wall in front of him, and mulled over Bobby's words. He wanted to believe them, wanted his Babe at his side, wanted to draw strength from her, but that wouldn't be fair to her.

"Carlos," Bobby addressed him once more, using Ranger's given name in the hope to reach deep into his heart. "I have known you since basic training. That feels like an eternity ago. We've been through hell together, several times, and I've always had your back. So far we've always been honest with each other. Now, turn around, look me straight in the eyes and tell me honestly you want Bomber to spend her life with somebody else other than you."

Slowly, Ranger rolled back on his back and stared at the ceiling. Eventually, he turned his head, his eyes finding Bobby's, the look of utter defeat on Ranger's face piercing Bobby's heart.

"No, I don't want that. I want her for myself, but that's not possible."

"Why not?" Bobby pulled the chair over that Steph had vacated and took a seat.

"Because no matter what you say she needs a whole man at her side, not one with cut off legs. Someone who can keep up with her physically, who can protect her from the bad in the world," Ranger replied quietly, his eyes for once showing the pain that he felt inside. "As much as I want I can no longer take care of her. You know her life, her job, the crazies she attracts. Add into that mix my own enemies that could come after her and you have the perfect recipe for disaster. How am I supposed to keep her safe if I won't even be able to keep myself safe? The moment word gets out about my condition I'll be fair game and my enemies will take pleasure in going after Babe. I can't do that to her. I need to keep as much distance between us as possible."

"There's one element in that equation that you haven't taken into account, yet. Us; your friends and employees. Your knowledge of human nature made you pick the best of the best, not just with regard to expertise but also with regard to values and loyalty. Rangeman is a closed-knit community; every employee is devoted to you. We'll stop at nothing to keep you and Bomber safe."

"Do you really see Stephanie following safety procedures and accepting a bodyguard at her side?" Ranger scoffed, his facial expression giving away the pain he felt discussing the topic.

"Yes, absolutely," Bobby countered. "For you and the chance at a relationship with you I think she'd do just about anything. Especially when she sees that you stick to the same terms. She doesn't want to be seen as inapt, doesn't want to be restricted in her freedom just because someone thinks she can't take care of her own. Restrict yourself; show her that you follow the same rules that you want her to follow. Don't make the mistake of pushing her away, Carlos. Pull her as close to you as humanly possible. Make her an inherent part of Rangeman and your life. Let her grow at your side within the safety your company has to offer."

Ranger turned back his head and stared at the white ceiling above him. His Babe at his side, as equal partner, friend and lover, that would be a dream come true. He'd never allowed himself to think of that, had always kept a lid on those longings because with the missions he ran and the enemies he accumulated he couldn't let himself be loved. His life wasn't his own; his lifestyle would have led to nothing but heartache for her. But now… his military career was over, his life was about to take a major turn. Could he ask Stephanie for the sacrifices a relationship with him would entail? Would she be willing to make them? Could he make her happy and offer her a fulfilled life?

"How about I leave you alone with your thoughts and check in with Skip and Akroyd?" Bobby's voice brought Ranger out of his mental meanderings.

"Thank you," he turned his face towards his friend and hoped his eyes conveyed the gratitude he felt.

"No sweat, man. That's what friends are for. I just want you to stop and think for a moment before you do something that you will regret for the rest of your life. You have your happiness right in front of your face, grab it and never let it go. It's what I, Tank, Lester and everybody else would do."

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_**There you go, Babes. I hope you liked this chapter. Make me happy and leave a review; I'd love to hit the 330 mark.**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Hiya Babes, sorry for taking such a long time with this chapter, but first there were some health struggles and then I had a hard time channeling my inner Ranger. I hope I can make it up to you by some really deep running feelings.**_

_**With regards to Ranger: One of the wonderful reviews I got for the last chapter stated 'I really hope someone takes the scalpel away from you so you quit chopping him up' ... sorry, no can do (LOL) Does anyone remember the movie 'Edward Scissorhands' with Johnny Depp from 1990? That's me, happily chopping away on Ranger's leg ... hehehe (real evil chuckle) ... but serious, what happens to Ranger is following a true real life story and I promise I will stop after one more surgery.**_

_**Last but not least: Towards the end of this chapter Steph talks about God and what he might have in mind for Ranger. It's not my intention to offend those who don't believe in God or follow a different deity. I appreciate and value every being in this world just the way they are, no matter their origin or belief. We are all wonderful people. I just tried to come up with a way how Steph could comfort Ranger and give him hope that his new life is indeed valuable and makes sense.**_

_**The disclaimer is the same as always: Not making any money; just playing around with JE's characters**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 15**

_Steph was running around him, dodging his attempts to grab her as her laughter filled the air, making Ranger's heart feel light and carefree. It was a beautiful summer day, the temperature had settled at eighty-six degree and the breeze coming in from the sea carried the scent of the ocean. They were at the beach in Point Pleasant after his Babe had convinced him to take the day off. Behind them the surf crashed on the shore, calling for them. Ranger tried again to catch Steph, his eyes zeroed in on her breasts that were bobbing with her every movement. She wore that sexy midnight blue bikini that he'd personally bought for her and he could feel the arousal building in his lower abdomen. Playing tag with his Babe awoke the caveman in him and was a major turn on. He wanted nothing more than throwing her over his shoulder and go running into the water with her to get her and that new bikini wet. After all, it gave him the perfect excuse to shower her off later. Eventually, he decided he'd let her get away enough and made a final grab for her, pulling her into his body. God, she felt so good against him, her creamy skin touching his mocha latte one, her soft perky breasts pressing into his hard chest. Effortlessly, Ranger lifted her over his shoulder, delighting in her happy squeal, when his eyes fell down his body and he froze. Where his legs once had been, he saw metallic rods and hinges replacing his limbs, glittering in the sun. He tried to move forward, his Babe still on his shoulder, but his movements were awkward and robotic. With every step sand got thrown up, finding its way into the hinges, clogging them and after a few yards they locked and he fell awkwardly to the ground. When he finally got his bearings and sat up, the prostheses were gone, the stumps of his former athletic legs lying useless in the sand. Desperate, he looked around for a wheelchair, anything, but he was alone with no other means to move than dragging himself through the sand with the help of his arms. Confusion, anger and despair started to get the better of him. What the fuck had happened to his legs? Why was he crippled? The sound of a well-known carefree laugh made Ranger look up. What he saw sucked the air right out of his lungs and let a piercing pain spread in his chest. In the distance he saw HIS Babe in the arms of a faceless man being carried into the surf; a man who definitely wasn't him; a man who was intact, strong, and vibrant._

"No," Ranger gasped, strangled, as he came awake with a jolt, his gown soaked with his cold sweat.

Quickly looking around he took in the sterile silence of his hospital room as his heart hammered frantically in his chest. It had been a dream, nothing but a fucking dream. But then he sat up and looked down his legs and realization set in as he saw where they were ending early under the sheet and he remembered.

"FUCK!" His angry voice echoed back from the white walls surrounding him as he shouted out his anger. "WHY ME? WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?" Filled with hatred, Ranger started to beat his fists down on his legs.

"CAPTAIN! STOP!" Nurse Agnes' loud voice broke through the red haze filling Ranger. "YOU ARE HARMING YOURSELF." Alarmed by his screaming, she had rushed into the room and was now calling for help.

"SO WHAT?" Ranger shouted at the top of his lung. "WHAT DOES IT MATTER? I'M A FUCKING CRIP! I'VE LOST MY FUCKING LEGS!"

There was no stopping him. All the pent-up rage and feeling of betrayal finally broke free, consuming him, making him shake with wrath as he gave his legs a merciless beating. Somewhere in the back of his brain he registered the increasing amount of blood seeping out of the wrapping on the stump of his right leg, but he didn't care. Fate had fucking betrayed him. He'd done his best to be an upstanding member of society; he gave veterans work, he took his social responsibilities serious by contributing wherever he could, he supported his friends and family to his best ability. Yes, he was a mercenary, and yes, he had killed people, but he'd done it to save others, to save himself, to ensure the safety of his country and the city he was living in. So WHY was he getting punished?

Blind with rage Ranger flailed around, hitting objects as well as the people who were trying to calm him down. By now the room had filled with nurses and several strong hands clamped down on his arms and shoulders, trying to push him back down into the mattress, but all they achieved was awakening his fight response and he fought back with all that was in him; his hate-filled shouts drowning the calls from the nursing staff. He was thrashing around, trying to ward off the enemy, when two new set of hands made a grab for him and eventually forced him down. The prick in his upper arm never registered as suddenly everything became hazy and darkness started to creep in. He wanted to keep fighting, wanted to keep hitting himself, but his arms became heavier and heavier with every second that passed until he could no longer lift them. Then everything went black.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"Bobby?" Steph turned her head to look over her shoulder. "I think he's coming around."

Hearing the wariness in her voice, the experienced Rangeman medic immediately stood up and stepped next to her, his eyes zeroed in on Ranger.

"Are you prepared for his anger, honey?"

"Yes. He can't hurt me. I understand that he's going through the different stages of grief and that whatever he says is said out of misery and not because he doesn't love me."

"Good," Bobby lightly squeezed her shoulder and bent forward to press a kiss on top of her curls. "As long as you keep that in mind you'll be fine."

On the bed in front of them Ranger sucked in a deep breath and jerked his head the same moment his eyes flew open. Immediately, he tried to sit up, just to be held back by the belts strapping him to the mattress.

"What the fuck?" He pulled at his restrains, realizing that his wrists, too, were cuffed to the bed frame.

"Calm down, man," Bobby said in his quiet, soothing medic voice. "No sense in struggling against the belts and cuffs. You will just do more harm to you than you already have and we don't need that."

"Why am I restrained? What the fuck happened?" Ranger pressed through clenched teeth. "Get these things off me."

"No can do, man. Not as long as you are seething and out of control."

"I am NOT out of control," Ranger hissed causing Bobby to quirk an eyebrow in response.

"What can you remember?" He finally asked once Ranger caved in and silence descended over them.

Ranger looked at Steph who sat quietly next to his bed and watched him. He felt anger coursing through his veins but it wasn't directed against her. She hadn't done anything wrong and to be honest he was glad that she was there, at his side, and not like in his dream in the arms of another man.

"It doesn't matter what I remember," he finally growled sullenly, his eyes darting back to Bobby. "I want you to get me the fuck out of these restraints."

"No," the medic replied succinctly, his voice leaving no room for objections. "At the moment you mean a danger to yourself. As long as we can't be sure that you've composed yourself the belts and cuffs stay."

"Ranger," Steph spoke up, resting her hand on his upper arm and squeezing it. "You gave yourself quite a beating causing the incision on your right stump to break open and bleed severely. They had to take you back to the operating room to fix the damage. I know you are full of anger, but you can't harm yourself like that. It will just prolong your recovery and you want to get better, don't you?"

"You don't know shit about how I feel. You have no fucking clue. I'll never be better again. My life's worth shit and I don't need your pity so take a hike and leave me alone," Ranger snarled and jerked his arm away from her as good as he could. He didn't want to have a go at her, but the rage in him was overpowering.

"Your life IS NOT worth shit. It's as valuable and precious as it was before they had to amputate your legs and no matter what insults you throw at me I will stay. Deal with it," Steph replied firmly, her voice calm and her gaze locked with his.

Seeing the determination in her eyes and realizing what he'd said and to whom, heavyheartedness settled over Ranger. Bobby and Lester had had quite a few words with him the other day, making him realize some things about Stephanie, and hurting his Babe wasn't something he wanted to do.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite your head off. It's not your fault that they made me a fucking crip."

At that moment the door opened and Lester stepped into the room. Immediately, Ranger's eyes settled on the shiner his cousin was sporting. Turning his head to Bobby, he realized that the medic, too, had a bruise developing on his jaw. Cocking his eyebrow, he first looked at Bobby then at Lester.

"That's all your doing, _primo_," his cousin finally enlightened him, his voice flat, leaving no hint what he was feeling. "And this is nothing compared to how a couple of the nurses are looking thanks to you."

"What do you mean?"

"That's why I asked what you can remember," Bobby said quietly. "Lester and I stepped off the elevator a few hours ago and got alarmed when we heard screaming and shouts coming from your room. We came here running just to see you thrashing around, hitting the nurses in the face and on their upper bodies as they tried to calm you down and grab your flailing fists. A couple of them are pretty bruised; it's not a nice sight. When Les and I were finally able to subdue you, the doctor on duty injected a sedative in your upper arm and you quickly calmed down before it was lights out."

Ranger didn't know what to say. Thousand thoughts were racing through his mind and once again anger was surging up within him. What the fuck had he done? He didn't beat women, never has. What kind of monster had he become because of this whole ordeal? He could positively feel his mind retreating, pulling back from the people in the room, as the self-hatred increased proportionally.

"Stop, Ranger," he heard Steph's voice in the distance. Then two warm hands cupped his cheeks and helped him focus on the two blue eyes right in front of his face. "You are NO monster. Nothing of this is your fault. You weren't yourself when it happened. Nobody reproaches you for what you've done."

"What the fuck, Steph. I hit the nurses," Ranger pressed out between clenched teeth, infuriated that he was restrained, not able to move and find an outlet for his self-loathing. "They are all good women who take up with my moods and care for me and I hit them. There's nothing I can say or do to make amends for that. I'm worse than the scum I capture."

"That's nonsense," Steph replied firmly as she leaned back, one hand on his chest over his heart, the other back on his arm, soothingly rubbing up and down. "All they want and hope for is you getting better and leaving here with pride and confidence. If you feel the need to make up for what happened then learn to value the life you are given and work on your recovery. That's the biggest gift you can make them."

Ranger turned his head away and stared at the wall he was facing.

"Easy said for someone with two complete legs and a glowing future ahead," he eventually muttered, his voice laced with bitterness. No matter from which angle he looked at it, his life was over.

"Ranger…"

"No, Steph," the man in front of her snarled as he jerked his head back toward her, instantly forgetting his gratitude for her being there. "You have no fucking clue what you are talking about. Getting better and leaving with pride and confidence? What the fuck! My life is worth shit! I lost my legs! I can no longer do my job; I can no longer go on missions. Everything that has defined my life up to now, that has made it worth living, is shot to pieces. How can I look into a mirror and be proud and confident when all I see is a useless piece of crap?"

Steph regarded him calmly and seemed to find what she was looking for because a moment later she turned to Bobby and asked him to remove the belts and cuffs and then leave them alone.

"Honey, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Bobby, please," she locked eyes with him. "I promise Ranger will behave. How is he supposed to get his bearings when he can't move and stretch and is constantly reminded of his imprisonment? Would you be able to relax under these conditions?"

Pressing his lips together and watching her for a moment, Bobby finally sighed and started to open the buckles on the straps of the padded leather belts and cuffs.

"Don't do anything stupid, man," he zeroed in on Ranger's face, his voice having a warning quality. "I don't want to regret this."

The whole time Lester had silently watched the exchange between his cousin and Stephanie and had waited for Ranger to snap. Les didn't trust him. Too much has happened, too many harsh words were said since he, Bobby and his Beautiful had come back to Ramstein a few days ago. He wanted to spare her any further hurt, to throw her over his shoulder and take her back to Trenton, but Bobby had made him understand that that was Beautiful's decision and hers alone. As long as she wanted to stay there wasn't much they could do other than supporting her and being there for her when she needed to vent or a shoulder to lean on. Not liking what he was about to do, Lester opened the door and reluctantly stepped out of Ranger's room closely followed by a tense Bobby. They would both wait right outside the door, their ears pricked for any struggle in the room they'd just left. Neither one was willing to take any chances with Steph.

Inside, Steph poured Ranger a cup of water which he gratefully accepted. When he was done drinking, a heavy silence settled over them and filled the room with gloom.

"Let's talk about your legs."

Steph's voice was firm, but calm, ready for the verbal beating that would probably occur.

"There's nothing to talk about," Ranger returned harshly, his gaze fixed on the white ceiling above him.

"Oh yes, there is. They amputated your left foot and your right lower leg and as things look right now they'll have to go in again and take off even more because they can't gain control of the bacteria. As you said your life will never be the same again; you'll have to redefine yourself. Right now you think of yourself as worthless cripple, a 'useless piece of crap', so I'd say there's a hell of a lot we have to talk about."

Ranger didn't answer.

"Tank's waiting for your okay to look for a contractor and task them with the work on your apartment and the Haywood building in general. It's time everything gets adapted to your needs," Steph tried anew.

"I don't want to talk about it, Steph."

"But it's important that we discuss this. Sometime soon you and the guys will be flown stateside. We need to talk about which VA hospital you want to be admitted to for your rehab and we should start making concrete plans for the near future so you have a goal you can work towards."

"Stephanie! Stop it! I will NOT talk about this!"

Next to him, Steph sighed. Who would have thought that Ranger knows Denial land?

"Ranger…"

"NO!"

This led them nowhere. Leaning slightly forward on her chair and straightening her spine, Steph prepared to get tough.

"Enough, Ranger! Stop pulling an ostrich! You were dealt a bad hand and I understand that you feel as though fate betrayed you, but that is not the case. Yes, life's challenging you, but since when do you shy away from a challenge? Thanks to your extensive training you face every situation with a calm mind, consideration and awareness of your strengths. Now make use of those hard-learned lessons. It's about damn time You. Take. Charge."

"A CHALLENGE, STEPHANIE? A CHALLENGE?" Ranger angrily smashed his fist down on his right leg. "THIS," he clawed his hand into his leg, "IS FUCKING UNFAIR! I DON'T DESERVE THIS! WHY DIDN'T I DIE? I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT OVER THIS!"

Alarmed by the shouting, Bobby and Lester barged into the room just as Steph grabbed Ranger's fist before he could hit his leg again.

"Aaaaaargh!" Ranger roared with his head thrown back, all his anger and desperation finally finding an outlet.

Ignoring Bobby and Lester standing in the middle of the room, Steph sat down on the hospital bed and pulled Ranger into a tight embrace.

"I know, Ranger. I know," she tried to soothe the man in her embrace. "I get you. I really do. But as sure as every night is followed by a day I know that deep in this mess there's a small bud of something good that wants to grow and blossom. Life's not always fair and sometimes we do not immediately recognize the plan God has for us, but there is one. He will reveal it to you in His own time."

"Don't bring God into play, Steph," Ranger mumbled against her neck. "I've done so many horrible things that if it was up to Him I'd roast in hell. He probably rubs his hands because of my misery."

"Nonsense! He'd never do that; he loves you, and if you ask, every one of your sins will be forgiven," Steph squeezed him. "You know I'm not a constant churchgoer, but I grew up with a strong belief and no matter where life leads me to I know that I am loved if not by my mother and other relatives then by God."

Steph paused to see whether Ranger would say something but he stayed still in her embrace and seemed to listen intently.

"God has a reason why this has happened to you even though you cannot see it now. You have to heal first and trust that He will show you," she rubbed her hands up and down his back. "Perhaps it is to make you a better person than you already are. Perhaps it will lead you to an assignment He has for you. Perhaps by this event happening to you, you can in turn help others with their challenges and show them that _because_ is not an excuse."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know all those excuses that we can't do this or that _because_ something hinders us. _Because _I do not have legs I cannot run. I say, yes you can. We get you new ones that are different from yours. Or, _because_ I do not have eyes I cannot see. Yes, you can. You just see differently. Do you understand what I mean? There is no such thing as _because_ you no longer have fully functional legs you can't live a successful, happy life. We'll get you new legs and you will learn to adapt and fly even though you once thought your life was over. And last not least, perhaps all this happened to make you slow down and realize you are ready for 'someday' with me."

As the first silent sob worked its way through his body, Steph's arms tightened around Ranger and she pressed a couple tender kisses against the side of his neck.

"How can you still want me, Babe. I'm forever damaged."

Behind her, Steph heard the door to the room close and knew that Bobby and Lester had left to give them some privacy.

"I want you because I can see past the exterior and see the wonderful strong, caring, and compassionate man you are behind your badass persona. But nothing has to happen for now. You have to heal and take care of yourself and what will happen, will happen when the time is right. It's high time that Batman spreads his cape and takes control of his life."

Ranger loosened his arms around her and leaned back, awkwardly wiping at the tears that had sprung from his eyes.

"I don't know how that is supposed to work. I'm a physical person, always have been."

"So? You can still be that. I have done some research on disabled veterans with amputated legs and many of them rock the gym. They work hard with strict diets and daily regimens to keep their bodies in mind-blowing shape. Think of the Paralympics and all the disabled athletes there and what they achieve. Be proud of your body and of what you've overcome and rock the world," Steph smiled at him and took his hands in hers.

"Damn," Ranger let his head fall forward and shook it before looking back up. "If you ever get sick of your work as BEA, you should think about a career as motivational speaker."

"I will keep that in mind," Steph smiled.

A knock at the door made them both turn their heads and when nurse Agnes stepped into the room, her face sporting two very prominent bruises, Steph could feel Ranger stiffen and pull back.

"Don't," she reminded him, holding fast onto his hands, her eyes locked on his blank face. "Remember what I told you. If you want to make up for what happened, value the life you are given and work on your recovery. That's the biggest gift you can make them."

Seeing Ranger nod and straighten his spine as the elderly woman approached him, Steph squeezed his hands a last time and quickly pressed a kiss on his cheek before standing up and making room for the nurse to work.

* * *

_**Taadaaaa... that's it. Steph is outdoing herself in her attempt to support Ranger. She's growing stronger and more confident with each chapter while Ranger is working his way through the different stages of grief. An important piece of him has died and he has to come to terms with that before he can move on. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic so leave me a review and by that give me something to smile and be happy about. Happy Easter.**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Hey Babes, thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews I got for the last chapter. After the story got posted on Facebook I know that a number new readers came aboard and I welcome them warmly. Leave me a review if you feel like it - it's most appreciated.**_

_**Ranger's chopping ends with this chapter, but someone not new but perhaps forgotten enters the stage in need of Steph's love and support.**_

_**A special thanks to Wizardswoman for keeping me company through the struggles I have writing this very emotional story. I know you think your attempts to keep me in line fall on deaf ears, but I hear your my dear. :)**_

_**Disclaimer: Kaminski, Skip and Akroyd are my babies, the rest belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 16**

Cautiously, Steph moved the razor along Kaminski's throat, paying close attention to every inch of his skin so she wouldn't miss a spot.

"Alright, Mark. Just a little more and we… are… done," she told the unconscious man in front of her as she finished shaving him for the day.

Bathing and applying lotion to his upper body and taking care that his face was smooth and whiskers-free had become their daily before noon ritual and the increased activity on the screen monitoring Kaminski's brain waves proved how much he liked the attention even in his unconscious state. When there was one thing that their time together had shown, it was that he liked to be touched and involved in the activities in his room. No matter whether it was Steph reading or humming to him, her caresses on his face, arms or hands, the bathing, the putting on lotion or the shaving; whenever she was in the room and interacted with him, Kaminski's cheeks got rosier and the brain activity increased. Quietly singing "Soft Kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur," Steph wrung out the cloth swimming in the small basin that stood on the chair next to the bed and wiped away the last remains of shaving gel before gently stroking Kaminski's cheek.

"There you go, sweetie. Soft as a baby's bottom. Now a little Cool Water lotion and all the nurses will fall over themselves to tend to you because you smell so good."

After she had rubbed in the scented lotion, Steph took the basin to the sink in the room, emptied and cleaned it and organized everything so that it would be ready for them the next day.

"How about I read to you now?" She questioningly turned to Kaminski, walked over to his bed and sat down on the now empty chair. "I got new books. The Harry Potter series. Originally, they are children books, but I know many adults who have read them. I'm sure you will like them."

Of course he didn't react, but Steph didn't give up hope that one day when she addressed him he would open his eyes and answer her. Taking his hand in hers and rubbing it, she couldn't help but smile seeing the immediate response on one of the monitors over his bed.

"That's right, sweetie. I'm right here and I won't go anywhere."

Never losing her hold on his hand, she leaned over and grabbed the book she had brought with her earlier.

"_Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much_," Steph started to read, the book lying next to her and Mark's joined hands. Every now and then she unconsciously rubbed her thumb over the back of his fingers as she plunged right into the magical world of Harry Potter.

_"__They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours…._ Geez, she could be my mom's sister," Steph shook her head and snorted.

_"__The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters…_ and this is where our hero comes into play," Steph smiled and squeezed Kaminski's hand.

An hour later, Steph was still going strong, the alarm on her wrist watch alerted her that it was time to come to an end. Squeezing Kaminski's hand, she decided to read the rest of the page.

"_On Friday, no fewer than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the letter-box they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs toilet. Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out…_ And that's enough for now. It's time for you to rest and this afternoon we will find out whether Harry will get his letter or not," Steph smiled, closed the book and looked up.

What she saw had her heart jumping in her chest like a bouncy ball. There in front of her lay Kaminski, watching her with the most amazing blue-green-amber eyes she had ever seen.

"You are awake," Steph jumped up and leaned over her new found friend, tenderly brushing hair out of his face.

Mark Kaminski stared up at her, his eyes filled with confusion and a tad of fear as saliva ran out of the corner of his mouth building a small trail along his cheek.

"Don't worry about that, Sweetie," Steph quickly dabbed the spit away and dried his cheek. "Everything's alright. You are safe. Nobody can harm you here, I promise," she caressed his face and tried to soothe him as the confusion in him began to build and his heart rate on the monitor increased. "Hush, Sweetie. It's okay," but the agitation just seemed to increase.

"Mark... Mark, listen to me," Steph grabbed both his hands and held them between their chests, kissing them one after the other. "It's okay, Sweetheart," she said in a firm and louder voice than before. "I know you are confused and probably scared, but you have to trust me that you are safe, can you do that for me?" Leaning forward she pressed a soft kiss on his brow and heard the beeping of the heart monitor slowing down. "That's my baby. Good," she moved back and caressed his cheek. "Now, I will press the call button for the nurses' desk so someone will come for you. They will be so happy when they see you awake."

Kaminski's eyes were glued to Steph's face as the disorientation was still evident, but he seemed to have calmed down so Steph leaned over him and actuated the button that would alert the nurses. Just a moment later Agnes, who had the day shift this week, came in and quickly covered her mouth with her hands when she saw Kaminski lying awake in his bed.

"Oh my," the elderly nurse whispered around her hands, her eyes shining with joy. "What a wonderful surprise. Let me get the doctor." And she was gone.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

Half an hour later, Steph eventually stepped into Ranger's room, a radiant smile plastered on her face.

"Babe?" Ranger looked up from his book and furrowed his brow as he tried to understand why she was so happy.

"He's awake," Steph jubilated as she sat down on the bed next to Ranger and pulled him in a tight hug. "Kaminski's awake. One moment I was reading to him, the next I looked up and saw him watching me. He was the last of your men who was still unconscious. Now they are all back," she squeezed him, leaned back and faltered for a moment when she saw Ranger's blank face firmly in place.

"Is he okay?" Ranger asked with a flat voice, everything about him guarded.

"Against all odds he regained his consciousness, Ranger. That's all that counts at the moment," Steph took his hands in hers and gave them a squeeze.

Narrowing his eyes, Ranger regarded her cautiously. "You are holding something back, Babe. What aren't you telling me?"

Sighing, Steph prepared to give Ranger a rundown of the events of the past thirty minutes, knowing that it would push him right back into his dark thoughts. The past couple days, his anger had made room for a deep despair and a dark depressive state and no matter how much she tried to support him, Ranger struggled to see any worth in his new life.

"When I saw that Mark had woke up, I pressed the call button for the nurses and Agnes was the one to respond. She immediately got the doctor on duty when she realized what was going on. The doc came and performed some general exams. Right now, it seems that Mark is just aware enough to be confused and afraid because he doesn't know what is what. He is neither able to talk nor to move his limbs on demand and his processing of what is said is limited. The doctor explained that he's obviously in a haze and not fully aware. This is called a semi coma and his awareness will gradually come back over the months. But according to the doc it's too early to draw any conclusions regarding Mark's mental state or a possible impairment. His brain is in the process of booting up and after the traumatic brain injury he suffered and the long coma he was in that can take some time. All we can do is wait and hope the best."

Pressing his lips together and squinting his eyes, Ranger turned away from Steph to achieve at least a semblance of privacy.

"Don't Ranger," Stephanie laid her hand on his upper arm and rubbed gently up and down. "Don't shut me out. We agreed to communicate our feelings, remember?"

A slight shiver ran through the body in front of her and Steph climbed on the bed and spooned Ranger from behind, firmly wrapping her arms around him. Silently, she waited for him to get his bearings and pressed a kiss on the back of his head when she finally felt him relax.

"It's just…," his quiet voice filled the room. "They are all so young. They trusted me with their lives and look how I failed them."

"You didn't fail them. Thanks to you they are alive. I don't know the details of your rescue and I know I'm not supposed to know anything about it, but Skip and Akroyd needed someone to talk and disclosed a little of what went down in that crevice. If it hadn't been for you, they would have given up way earlier and would be dead. Ranger, your battle readiness and will to live was what brought them back. Stop belittling yourself. That is my field of expertise."

"Their lives will never be the same again, Babe."

"No, they will not be, but they are already a step ahead of you. Both have accepted their fate and have moved on. They are eager to leave Ramstein and start physical therapy so they can get on with their lives. It's a clear disadvantage that you can't be around the other men in the recreation room. If you could feel all the positive energy surrounding them, I'm sure it would help you to put your condition in perspective."

Seeing Ranger nod in agreement, Steph squeezed him, lifted her head and pressed a soft kiss on the side of his neck.

"Wait until after your surgery this afternoon. If everything works out the way Dr. Wheeler plans, you're soon going to be downgraded and then it will be only a stone's throw before you will be able to cruise around in a wheelchair and leave your room to meet the other men."

Ranger had deliberately not touched the topic of his upcoming operation, but he knew that he could no longer close his eyes to the fact that in a couple hours he would be prepped for what would hopefully be his final surgery. He didn't want to go through with it, didn't want to lose more of his legs, but he knew that he had no other choice. Dr. Wheeler and his colleagues had done everything in their power to fight the bacteria that had settled in his wounds, but to no avail. If they didn't act now, the consequences could be devastating.

"Will you wait for me to be brought back? I don't want to be alone when I come around and have to face the results."

Ranger couldn't believe he was asking, but if there was one person he could risk showing weakness and insecurity with it was his Babe. She'd have his back.

"Of course," Steph rubbed his chest and pressed herself closer against his back. "We will all be here; Bobby, Lester and I. You are not alone in this."

They stayed snuggled like that for the better part of the next hour until Agnes came in and told them it was time to get the prepping of Ranger started. Steph watched as the bandages were removed and his legs were meticulously shaved and washed with surgical scrub. In the beginning, the sight of the amputation stumps had intimidated her, but no longer. Instead they had become a new normal. When the anesthetist came in to discuss Ranger's anesthesia, Steph excused herself and left the men alone to talk in privacy.

"How is he holding up?" Bobby asked her when she stepped into the waiting area. He and Les had arrived a few minutes earlier and were discussing their next steps when they saw Steph walking down the hall towards them.

"He's good. Deep down I know he's scared but he has his blank face firmly in place and a vise-like grip on his emotions. The anesthetist is with him at the moment."

Lester stood there, looking uncomfortable, and eventually rubbed his face and hair.

"It's okay, Les," Steph stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, soaking up the strength he was exuding even when he wasn't comfortable in his skin. "He knows that you love him and have his back even if things have been a little tense this past week."

"I don't want him to lose even more of his legs," Lester whispered as he pulled his Beautiful tight against his chest. "But on the other hand I'm so angry at him for the way he treated you that a small voice keeps saying 'serves him right' and I feel horrible for that."

"You are human, Les, and especially protective of me. He knows that and deep inside he's thankful that you are looking out for me. Besides, his behavior has really changed over the past few days. He's once more opened up and started to let me in and we are talking about what is going on in his head. He's making an effort."

Sighing, Lester squeezed her a last time before taking a step back and smiling down at her. "He can be happy that he has you; I hope he treasures that."

"He does. He might not make many words of it, but I know that he does."

Dr. Wheeler came into view and Bobby excused himself to have a last chat with the surgeon before things got serious.

"I'll go back to Ranger," Steph rubbed her right hand over Lester's heart. "I want to give him a last pep-talk and accompany him when they come to take him."

A couple minutes later she stepped silently in Ranger's room and saw him lying motionless on the bed, his arms crossed over his eyes.

"Hey," she said quietly, cautiously walking over to him, not sure about his mood.

"Hey right back at you, Babe," came his mumbled response.

"What's wrong? Let me see your face."

Reluctantly, Ranger took his arms away and looked up at Steph, no longer trying to hide the wetness in his eyes from her.

"It's going to be okay, Ranger," she told him lovingly, pulling a chair next to his bed so she could sit with him and hold his hand. "We talked about this. The surgery has to be done and it has to be done now before the bacteria are going to spread any further. Afterwards, you will be the same wonderful, caring, strong and powerful man you are now. There will be changes in your life, some will be easier, some more difficult, but we will master them together. Step by step. I'll be right by your side for as long as you will have me, but even if you decide that you no longer want me, expect me to fight you on that."

"I'm scared, Babe," Ranger whispered, sounding strangled. He hated admitting to it, but his emotions were raw and he needed someone's strength to get him through the next few hours. "All my life I've been in control, but this I can't control and that feels horrible. I've never felt so helpless and at the mercy of someone; not even when I was captured and tortured in the past."

Steph didn't know how to respond to that. This wasn't Ranger the calm and controlled CEO and badass speaking to her but Carlos the man behind those personas. She could see the fear and insecurity in his eyes and that triggered several intense emotions in her. For one there was a strong feeling of protectiveness. She wanted to hunch up over Ranger and snarl at anybody who dared to come close to him as though he was a cub that she had to protect with her life. But then on the other hand she also felt rattled by his obvious insecurity. Ranger had always been the epitome of calm and control and seeing Carlos appear, unsure and anxious, was unsettling.

_This is what you've always wanted_, a voice in her head tried to make her see reason. _Ranger trusting you enough to step out of his comfort zone and make himself vulnerable._

That thought strengthened Steph's resolve. Ranger needed her and she would be there for him. Period. If he needed a break from being a hero, then it was her job to stand guard and shelter him until he was ready to gain back control.

"If you are scared, Carlos, then lean on me and trust me to take good care of you," Steph squeezed his hand and rubbed her thumbs over his fingers. "Relinquish your airtight control for a moment and believe that I and those who care about you won't let anything happen to you. I know this concept is new for you, but perhaps it's time that you step out of your comfort zone and channel the strength necessary to make yourself vulnerable."

Much to her surprise, Ranger laid his free hand over his eyes and moments later she could see his shoulders shake with silent sobs.

"Baby," Steph whispered tenderly, completely forgetting about the boundaries they had put on their friendship. "It's okay. Everything's gonna be alright." Leaning over Ranger, she removed his hand and instead touched her forehead against his. "Just believe in the good outcome of this all and fate will follow. Self-fulfilling prophecy, remember?"

At that moment, Agnes came through the door with two male nurses close on her heel and explained that their colleagues in the operating room were ready for him.

"Bobby, Lester and I will be waiting outside the surgical department on news and as soon as I'm allowed I will be back by your side," Steph pressed a soft kiss on Ranger's lips, straightened up and moved out of the way. She could see how hard Ranger was trying to put on his blank face and for an outsider he probably succeeded, but she could clearly see the tension around his mouth and the trepidation in his eyes.

* * *

_**With the next chapter Ranger will start working on his attitude and though there will be ups and downs he'll be unstoppable with Steph at his side. Please, take the time and leave me your thoughts. It would be great to smash the 400 review mark to smithereens :)**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews I got for the last chapter. I had a blast reading them. I know it takes time to leave them and I thank you all for going to the trouble of writing them. You Babes are the best!**_

_**My special thanks go to WizardsWoman for her unconditional support, to all the ladies from the Facebook group Ranger should get the girl who answered my cry for help last saturday when I was short of giving up and last but not least to Olivia and Susan for their spontaneous help in between.**_

_**Disclaimer: All characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 17**

Popping his eyes open, Ranger took in the silence of his hospital room and the ever same white of the ceiling above him. What a nice dream he'd had. Steph and he were visiting his family in Newark and had a pleasant afternoon surrounded by people who loved them. He had worn the new prostheses on his legs, but for the first time the sight hadn't angered him or evoked feelings of failure or worthlessness. No, for the first time he'd been at peace with himself. It seemed what the doctors said was true; he was finally healing and moving forward. Turning his head to the right, Ranger became aware of the beautiful bouquet of flowers standing on the hospital table next to his bed. A broad smile pulled up the corners of his lips when he saw the card leaning against the vase. Batman in full gear; there was just one person who'd give him a card like that.

"Babe."

Smiling, Ranger put into practice what the physical therapist had taught him over the past week, propped himself up on his elbows and turned his body so he could reach for the card. A distinctive pain shot into his two amputated stumps, but he didn't care. He wanted to see what his Babe had written. When he rolled back onto his back and looked carefully at the treasure in his hands, his heart filled with warmth that spread through his whole body. That was so his Babe; constantly giving him the feeling that he was still her super hero. The moment he opened the card the scent of Steph's perfume filled his nose and made him smile even bigger. She had done that extra, he was sure of that. Inside she had written in her beautiful penmanship,

_You are the mountain, you are the rock  
You are the court and you're the spark  
You are the eagle, you are the lark  
You are the world and you're remarkable  
You're the ocean beating the shore  
You are the calm inside the storm  
You're every emotion you can endure  
You are the world, the world is yours._

_~ Jason Mraz, The world as I see it_

Closing his eyes, Ranger took a deep breath and let the words sink in. He felt so lucky that he had Stephanie in his life. Without her love and constant support he wouldn't fare as well as he did. When he woke up after his last surgery, she was right by his side holding his hand as she told him what the doctors had done, just as she had promised him. This time Dr. Wheeler hadn't taken any chances and had amputated his right leg above the knee and the left leg below the knee making sure that once and for all the bacteria was completely eradicated. It was a shock at first, but the feeling of Steph's warm hand in his, her words of encouragement and the soft kiss she pressed on his lips had softened the blow. The love she put in every gesture, every word, comforted him and for the first time since he regained consciousness he could accept that Stephanie was going to be by his side regardless of his condition. That realization was a turning point for him. He wouldn't make the mistake of pursuing a relationship with her at the moment, too much was on his plate for that right now, but neither would he try to keep an emotional distance from her any longer. Instead he would let her in completely as the best friend he'd ever had and everything else would grow with time if it was meant to be.

An energetic knock at the door made Ranger open his eyes and turn his head in time to see one of the older nurses step into the room. He missed Agnes, who he had to leave behind when he was downgraded from the ICU, but this woman had been nothing but nice and professional the past few days so she got the benefit of the doubt.

"Captain Mañoso," the nurse smiled warmly. "How are you? I have your next dose of Percocet with me."

Ranger narrowed his eyes and looked unhappy at the tray in her hands.

"I know how you feel about the pain killers," she jumped in seeing the afflicted expression on his face, "but you know what Dr. Wheeler said. For the first two weeks after the amputation they are mandatory. You have enough on your plate; you are not supposed to be in pain in addition."

Setting the tray with syringes and dressing material down on the bedside table, the woman got busy injecting the detested painkiller into the port in Ranger's arm before folding back the sheets covering his legs.

"The doctor will be by shortly to check on you so I will remove the bandages, okay?"

Nodding, Ranger propped himself up on his elbows and watched her taking off the compression bandages from his two stumps. They were still swollen and would stay that way for a while longer, but all in all he thought he saw improvement.

"These wounds are looking excellent, Captain," the friendly nurse told him as she inspected the surgical sutures closely. "Dr. Wheeler will be happy. After all you've been through it's high time for some good news, right?"

"I'd like to take a shower if possible to wash my hair and get rid of the sweaty, sticky feeling I carry around."

"You've trained the procedure with your physical therapist?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm sure it will be doable, but it's Dr. Wheeler's decision. Let's see what he says."

At that moment the door opened and the head surgeon stepped in, followed by two young interns.

"Captain," he came over to the bed and shook Ranger's hand. "I see you are all prepped for my examination. Do you mind if the two rookies here get closer and take a look at your legs while I explain what I've done?"

Confirming that it was okay and watching the interns eagerly closing in, Ranger eventually zoned out as Dr. Wheeler droned on about the severe frostbite and fracture, the multi resistant bacteria that had caused his legs to rot and fester and how a second amputation with a more aggressive approach was necessary to finally get on top of the situation and start the healing process.

"Did I forget anything, Captain?" The doctor's voice brought Ranger back to the present.

"No, sounds good to me."

"So how are you feeling? How is the pain level?"

"I'm fine. The pain increases towards the end of the cycle before I get topped of again, but it's manageable."

"How about phantom limb pain?" Dr. Wheeler asked as he sat down on the foot of the bed and started to prod at the stumps and sutures.

"It's there, but it's also manageable. The breathing technique I was taught is helping," Ranger grimaced.

"Does this hurt?" The doctor watched him closely as he poked around the suture and drainage tube of the right thigh.

"Yes," Ranger pressed through gritted teeth; the forceful manipulation reminding him that he'd indeed had major surgeries not long ago, even if it felt as though weeks had passed since then.

"On a scale from zero to ten with ten being unbearable how would you classify the pain at this moment?"

"Eight."

"How long since he got the last dose of Percocet?" Dr. Wheeler turned to the nurse.

"I injected it just before you came in."

"Good, that means it's not acting, yet," he turned back to Ranger. "You'll be fine in another ten minutes or so. Those were some major manipulations so it was supposed to hurt. I like how the sutures look, Captain. They are cool to the touch; the skin looks healthy; the healing is exemplary. It's also obvious that the swelling is receding slowly but constantly. I can see that you take the hygiene and care of your amputation stumps very seriously. If you continue to improve like this then we can think about flying you back stateside in another week."

"I would like to take a shower if that is possible."

Dr. Wheeler took a look into the big file belonging to Ranger and checked the entries from the physical therapist. "Sure, I don't see a problem with that. You know that the handicapped accessible shower is down the hall? I have only one condition. Since it will be your first try at showering I want a nurse on standby in the shower room to supervise you and assist if necessary. Okay?"

That stipulation Ranger could live with. He was glad for every piece of independence he could reclaim no matter how small it was.

"So about your transfer back home," Dr. Wheeler started again. "Once you'll leave here you will need to stay in hospital for a couple more weeks before you can relocate to a rehab facility. The Army will send you to any hospital of your choice that can tend to your needs, but I would really like to see you move to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. It's the flagship of Army medicine and it houses the Center for the Intrepid, a world-class state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility for amputees that is at the cutting edge of warrior care. Nowhere will you get as good support and care geared towards your active lifestyle as you will get there. Their goal is total rehabilitation and nothing less. After what I know about you I don't see you settling for anything else."

That led Ranger to nod his agreement. "I want to excel at this. I'm aware that there will be limits, but I won't let them slow me down. Period. I know you've seen me angry and depressed over my condition, but thanks to Stephanie my mind is changing and I think I'm finally ready to see this as an opportunity to grow and change some things in my life."

"I am glad to hear that, Captain. It's normal to go through the different stages of grief and I can promise you there will be doubts and dark moments ahead of you where nothing will make sense and you will be tempted to give up, but with Stephanie and your friends you have a great support system. Fall back on them; they are dedicated to your success and happiness and in a year from now you will be surprised what you will have achieved.

When Dr. Wheeler and his two shadows left the room, the nurse, who had kept herself at the fringes, stepped back to Ranger's side and regarded him for a moment.

"Do you want your shower now, Captain? I would have time to keep you company. The other option is that you wait until after your physical therapy and we'll find someone to assist you later."

"Now would be perfect," Ranger smiled at her, glad she could make time for him. She was efficient and professional. He would rather have her with him than one of the young things that worked the afternoon shift. "I'm so sticky I can't stand myself."

"Then let's get moving. Transfer yourself over into the wheelchair, grab some towels, your bag with toiletries, a change of clothes and tackle this new challenge," she replied with an encouraging smile turning her lips up.

Yep, he definitely liked her. The other nurses were often in a hurry and helped him to speed things up, but that wasn't what he needed. He needed to do things on his own, to pull on whatever resources he had to feel like an independent person. Stephanie got that, and this nurse seemed to understand that, too.

Once they were in the shower room, they performed numerous dry runs and tried to anticipate problems and work out the kinks before actually getting into the shower. Ranger had practiced the past several days on removing his clothes and using the bathroom. What would be new was transferring himself into the shower chair, keeping his balance while showering and then moving over to the adjacent bench to dry himself. After accomplishing that he would still need to put on fresh clothes before finally transferring himself back into the wheelchair. He never thought so much planning went into the simple act of taking a shower. Concentrating on what his next moves would be, how to push and pull himself with the help of the rods and mountings at the walls, he eventually nodded to the nurse that he was ready.

Ranger attacked the task at hand with the same determination he performed his government missions. At one point he struggled slightly and the nurse had to step in to keep him from falling off the shower chair, but in the end he regained control and mastered the task. Pleased with his performance, he sat back in the wheelchair and smiled slightly.

"You did excellent, Captain," the nurse praised him as he pulled together the wet towels and dirty clothes and placed them on his lap together with his toiletry bag. "Most others struggle a lot more on their first try."

That was balm on Ranger's soul. He strived at being the best, always had and probably always would. Realizing that he was successful at something, gave him immense satisfaction. Right now he would take the small victories.

After returning from the shower and putting away the laundry, shower gel, shampoo and shaving kit, Ranger transferred himself back onto the bed, rubbed the ointment onto the sutures of his stumps and watched the nurse re-wrapping the compression bandages. He felt exhausted. With all the trauma his body had endured over the last few weeks, it took very little physical exertion to make himself tired.

"You look drained, Captain," the nurse said while tidying his sheets and making sure that his legs were elevated properly. "How about you allow yourself a nap until lunch? That way you will be fresh and full of drive for your physical therapy later."

_Wiser words have never been spoken_, Ranger thought as he relaxed into the mattress and immediately dozed off, finally allowing the Percocet to take effect.

* * *

_**So Ranger's condition is on the up and up; Stephanie could finally get through to him. Now it's the question where will he be brought? What will happen to Rangeman while he's in rehab? What will happen to Kaminski? And where will Stephanie find herself? If you don't mind leave me a review with your thoughts.  
**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**To all the Babes all over the world who read my story: Thank you for your loyalty, especially since this isn't the average fluffy Babe story. It makes me happy to see in the story stats from where you all come. **_

_**And to those who took the time and left a review: Hooray! You ROCK! It's such a wonderful thing to hear your thoughts and by that learn something about your expectations. I won't meet them all, that's simply not possible, but it gives me an idea where you want this story to go and whether I follow through or not, these hopes influence my writing.**_

_**Disclaimer: I'm not making any money, just playing around with JE's characters.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 18**

It was nearing lunch time when Stephanie eventually stepped out of the stairwell after visiting Kaminski and entered the ward Ranger was residing in. There was quite a bustle going on. Men on crutches or in wheelchairs were moving up and down the hall, either alone or animatedly chatting with each other, while nurses and physical therapists flitted around on their way to or back from patients. When Steph reached the door to Ranger's room she knocked and listened, but nothing could be heard from the inside so she quietly slipped into the room and quickly closed the door to leave the noise outside. The sight in front of her made her smile. Ranger was sprawled on his bed, deep asleep, his mouth slightly ajar and looked utterly peaceful. He had obviously showered and shaved and for a second Steph was sad that she hadn't been at his side when he mastered the challenge of his first independent shower, but that feeling was quickly replaced by joy and happiness. He was making progress. Finally.

The vibrating alert of her cell phone brought Steph out of her thoughts and made her look for her chair that had been pushed to the side. Quietly placing it back next to the bed, she took a seat and grabbed her phone. The laugh that escaped her when she opened the text message from Tank had her quickly covering her mouth with her hand. There on the four inch display of her smartphone was a picture of Bobby and Lester standing in front of a black Rangeman SUV that had flames licking out of the body and dark smoke billowing from it. Both men had an arm thrown over the other's shoulder and were sporting big grins on their smudge-covered faces.

Under the picture stood, _Stay with Ranger as long as you want. Trenton no longer needs the Bombshell Bounty Hunter; it now has Tweedledee and Tweedeldum to blow things up. Tank_

_Are they okay?_ Steph quickly texted back.

_Perfectly fine. The dumbasses thought it was fun._

That brought a big smile on Steph's face._ SMDH… as long as I have their parking karma when I get back I'm fine with switching roles with them._

_:-) how is the bossman?_

_Sleeping. Took his first independent shower today. BTW your delivery arrived earlier._

_Good. Tell him to call me when he's up to it. Later, Little Girl._

Turning her phone off, Steph looked up and found Ranger watching her.

"What has you smiling so broadly, Babe?"

Stephanie laughed and clipped the phone back to her belt. "Bobby and Lester blew up a company car and seem to be mighty proud of themselves."

"Sounds like you aren't needed in Trenton any longer," Ranger answered with his own smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Those were Tank's thoughts. Do you have some long distance ESP going on?"

"No ESP necessary, Babe. I'm spurred by pure self-interest. I like having you here with me." Holding his hand out for her, he pulled her out of her chair and onto the bed. "I showered earlier."

"And shaved, too. I wish I had been present. Did everything go smooth?"

Ranger shrugged and played with her hands. "I did okay."

"Oh come on. I know you," Stephanie smiled in face of his humbleness. "I'm sure you blew every expectation out of the water."

His proud smile was all the confirmation she needed. He had done well and he knew it. When his happy expression turned into a frown, she squeezed his hands.

"What's going on?"

"Just the feeling of a spasm in the right lower leg."

Closing his eyes, Ranger went through breathing exercise he was taught to get his mind off the pain. The phantom limb pain was annoying. The brain felt something was there like it wanted to move a cramped foot or itch it but there was nothing to move to alleviate the discomfort. Dr. Wheeler and the physical therapist had promised him that it would become better as he would learn different techniques to deal with it, but at the moment it was simply pesky. Eventually, the feeling waned and Ranger opened his eyes to look into Stephanie's blue ones that were full of affection and sympathy.

"Since you are better now and you had such a successful morning, how about a little reward?" She asked him, sliding off the mattress. "A package was delivered to the hotel earlier; an overnight express shipment." Picking up the parcel that she had left on the floor, Stephanie put it down on Ranger's lap who had brought the head of the bed up in an upright position.

"A parcel? From whom?"

"Tank and the guys. I know that there's a cell phone in there for you, but this is way bigger and definitely weighs more than just a phone."

Offering him small scissors, Steph sat back down on her chair and watched Ranger meticulously opening the package. She would have torn it open, eager to get to its content, but not Ranger. He was calm. When he was finished he handed the scissors back to her and looked into the parcel. For a moment his blank face slammed down, but then Ranger looked up and let the mask crumble away and what appeared in lieu thereof was so simple and human that it touched Steph deep in her heart. Joy. Plain joy. Whatever Tank had sent brought Ranger delight.

"What is it?"

"A lot of stuff, but on top are two framed pictures from my apartment; one of Julie and one of us."

Ranger picked up the two photographs and arranged them next to the bouquet of flowers on his bedside table. Then he reached into the box and produced two post cards showing his daughter at the beach and in Little Havanna.

"From Julie." Ranger clarified as he read them. "She's thinking of me and says no matter whether you have legs or not, Dad, I know you will rock and I can't wait to see you again."

"I completely agree with her," Steph said as she pulled her chair closer to the bed and took the two cards that Ranger was offering her. "I'm glad you allowed me to call her and your parents. Family is important when things get rough. It's all about having a support system that has your back."

"Yeah, Babe. I realize that now and I'm thankful that you stood up to me and battled me when I was so stubborn."

"Hey, who knows stubbornness better than me?" Steph smiled as she handed the cards back and squeezed his hand. "What else is in there? Come on, I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof."

That caused Ranger to laugh and focus back on the content of the parcel.

"I guess these are for you." He smiled as he produced several Tasty Cakes out of the box. "Apparently the guys have heard your secret whining."

"Smartass."

"Babe, you love my ass. Besides, you neither get donuts here nor Tasty Cakes. I don't know how you haven't combust already."

Steph shrugged as she bit into one of the Tasty Cakes and moaned. "I guess my hormones finally decided to grow up. There were more important things that needed my attention."

"Babe." Ranger leaned over, grabbed her free hand and brought it to his lips. Turning back, he focused once more on the box and when his hand immerged he held a plastic container with a sticky note taped on it. "Mi hijo," he read out aloud. "From when you were a small boy flan has always been your favorite dessert. Once you entered the military and started to live on a strict diet it became the only sweet you would allow yourself from time to time. I hope it has survived the shipment and that you can enjoy it. Our thoughts are with you cariño, and we can't wait to have you home and embrace you with our love. Mama y papa"

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Ranger removed the lid and laughed.

"What?" Steph curiously stood up and peeked into the container just to smile broadly at the mash that once must have been a flan. "Well, if you don't want it I will take it."

"Hands off, Babe. That's mine."

Ranger gave her the container to put it aside and dove back in the parcel.

"I guess this is my cell phone," he pulled out a small box. "And these feel like pictures," Ranger handed Steph a small envelope with Tank's penmanship.

"Some photos of the reconstruction work," she read out aloud what the big guy had written. "Every man is involved and working towards making this place accessibly for you. We all have your back, bossman."

Steph motioned for Ranger to make room for her and positioned herself next to him.

"That's lovely from them, don't you think?"

She could see that Ranger was touched and had a hard time not to slip on his blank face.

"Don't hide your feelings, Ranger. Be Carlos. Allow them."

Taking a deep breath, Ranger took the envelope from her, opened it and together they looked at the pictures. The progress was remarkable. There were photos from his apartment showing that all the doors had been widened to allow the easy use with a wheelchair and his bathroom was completely remodeled now containing a roll in shower and a lot of handles and bars around the toilet and the Jacuzzi.

"They've gone overboard. I don't need this. I will have my prostheses."

"But there might be days when you can't use them for medical reasons. For those days everything has to be accessible with a wheelchair. I know you will fight it and fall back on the wheelchair as little as possible, but it's smart to be prepared."

"Will you ever get tired of being the voice of reason, Babe?"

"Nope," she answered with a resounding 'p'. "I enjoy it immensely. For once **I'm** the adult one and can coach **you**. You have no clue how good that is for my ego. So far it has always been the other way round."

The photos continued to show the reconstruction on each floor and Ranger couldn't help but become emotional.

"So that's my new life," he said quietly as he thumped through the pictures for a second time.

"Yes, and everybody is looking forward to welcome you back."

"Will they still respect me as their leader, Babe?"

"Of course they will. Real leadership isn't established by muscles but by mental superiority and you have that in spades. You are their commander, they admire and respect you for everything you have achieved. They have always looked to you for advice, and that won't change."

There was a knock at the door and the elderly nurse who had helped Ranger with his shower stepped into the room carrying a tray with lunch.

"Hello Captain. Did you have a nice nap?" She sat the tray down on the end of the bed and smiled. "I see you got gifts; a sign of life from home?"

"Yes, pictures, a cell phone and my mother sent me my favorite dessert."

"I see the pictures." The nurse stepped closer to table that held the flowers and framed photographs. "That is a beautiful one of you and Stephanie. And is that your daughter?"

"Yes, she lives with her mother and step-dad in Miami."

"She is a beautiful young lady."

Steph watched the interaction between Ranger and the nurse and was proud of him. He didn't close up but shared personal information. What an immense improvement for him.

"Stephanie," the nurse turned her attention towards her. "One of my more challenging patients refuses to eat. Would you like to have his meal? I know you normally get yourself something from the cafeteria, but why should we let that perfectly good meal go to waste. It would just get pitched and I hate that thought because of all the starving people in this world."

Steph smiled and nodded her head. "I'd love to have it. Thank you."

She and Ranger ate in companionable silence. There was no moaning from her side; it was hospital food after all, but she'd had a lot worse in her life so all in all it was okay. When they were finished, Steph excused herself to take the trays to the cart outside in the hall and to use the restroom.

"Whatcha looking at?" She asked when she stepped back into the room a few minutes later.

"Reports that Tank sent. They were at the bottom of the box."

Steph regarded him for a moment, taking in the furrowed brow and intense expression.

"You don't look pleased. Is something wrong? I thought Rangeman was running efficiently?"

"Come here and let me explain it to you." Ranger scooted over to make room for her and waited until she sat comfortably beside him. "Here we have a list of requests for a security quote with names and addresses. As you can see it's quite impressive. Tank sent a team to every one of them to check out their needs and come up with a customized package based on those needs. Now look at how few eventually signed a contract. You always have a certain percentage of loss, but the discrepancy between quotes and contracts is far too big to be acceptable. Operating a business means looking at the numbers and these numbers tell me that a lot of money and manpower has been wasted for nothing. The question is how do we turn these numbers over and make our search for new clients more profitable?"

"Let me see." Stephanie took the offered papers and studied them meticulously. "Those contracts that were signed, the initial visit and follow-up meeting were conducted by either Tank or Lester. From the rest of the Merry Men only Zero and Woody were able to bring in a couple new clients."

"I know, but Tank and Lester's dance cards are filled to the brim. They don't have the capacity to focus only on client meetings."

"You should reorganize the responsibilities." Steph murmured more to herself than to Ranger as she flipped back and forth through the pages.

"Spill, Babe. Amaze me with your thought process."

"It's like this. I love the guys, you know that, they are **my** guys, but they aren't exactly social. Their lives in the military and all the horrible things they've seen have made them rather withdrawn and silent. Not what you need when you want to approach Civilians and convince them to invest high amounts of money into your business. In my opinion the lack of contracts has nothing to do with people distrusting Rangeman's expertise or professionalism; it's because they don't know how to handle the people knocking at their doors. What I would suggest is promoting a couple guys to work for client relations and train them in dealing with the average, non-military Civilian who does not have the means to look behind the blank face and aloofness. This is not about wearing a suit but about a smile at the right time, a warm handshake, and an open attitude."

"When do you start, Babe?" Ranger looked at her with an almost smile.

"Oh no, Batman. I can't train your guys. If anyone needs training here it's me."

"Babe. You have a business degree; you were at the top of your class, and the passion with which you just spoke shows that you would be dedicated to the guys and Rangeman's success. I couldn't think of anyone better suited to do the job. You are equipped with amazing social skills, you know my business, and my men all love and trust you."

"Ranger, I'm really not comfortable with that idea. I'd rather have you show me what else you have." She pointed at the papers lying on his lap.

Giving Steph some space to breathe and relax, Ranger grabbed a thick pile of papers and handed them to her.

"These are capture reports. On top you have Tank's summary, behind that the individual written reports from each of the guys."

Stephanie looked at the summary on top and frowned. It was a simple spreadsheet, very confusing and without the option for further information aside from some rather generic numbers. When she flipped through the written reports she was flabbergasted. Most of them were handwritten on a simple peace of college ruled paper. There seemed to be no guideline as to what had to be written down so each man had his own way of doing it. It was a mess.

"Tank has my sympathy. No wonder he can't pull more information from this chaos than he does."

"Babe, that's the way it has been done since the start of Rangeman. I know it's not perfect but it works."

"Ranger, this is… I have no words." Stephanie shook her head in disbelief. "I don't want to know how many hours Tank has spent on these reports that he could have used differently in a more profitable way."

Ranger motioned for her to go on.

"First, this paper chaos has to stop. Someone needs to design an easy Excel chart that everybody has to use the same way. That would make things a lot easier for Tank. Then I suggest that just the team leader of the capture team makes the report. Distribute responsibilities and your employees will rise above themselves our professor always told us. The only exception would be when there is a shooting involved. Then a report is expected from each of the responding men to be turned over to the TPD. For the TPD I would suggest a different chart that doesn't include business relevant information like capture fees and expenses which by the way are completely missing here. Of course there are endless possibilities to enhance this. You could create the position of a Manager of the Bond Enforcement Department that would report only to Tank. That way all the written reports, simply everything concerning skip chasing would be taken off Tank's hands so he could concentrate on other business. The manager would process all the information he gets from the men and give them back to the one who wrote the report if there are questions. Just the revised end product would land on Tank's desk."

"Babe." Ranger looked at her with amazement written all over his face. "You baffle me. How could I never see your economic potential? I mean I knew how good you were in college, but everything you just said... I should have done that years back. Who knows what profit Rangeman would make with you in lead?"

Uncomfortable, Stephanie looked down at the papers still in her hands. "You are exaggerating."

"No Babe, I'm not. Since I've met you all those years back in the diner you've constantly blown my expectation out of water. You are amazing and I will tell you that every day for the rest of our lives if necessary."

"Change of topic!" Steph scooted off the bed and grabbed the plastic container with the mashed flan. "I want dessert, even kept two teaspoons."

Ranger smiled and shook his head. He'd never met someone as unable to accept praise as his Babe. Every compliment became a challenge, but that just sparked his determination. As she snuggled up to him, the container positioned on her lap, he couldn't help the peaceful feeling washing over him. He'd really love to have a spoonful of the flan, but if it kept her by his side she could eat the whole thing alone if it was up to him.

An hour later Ranger was alone in his room as Steph had decided to go back to Kaminski for their afternoon reading session. She didn't think he understood much since he was still in a semi coma, but he obviously enjoyed her company and that was all that counted. Ranger was so thankful for the way she took care of his brother in arms. Not many would do that, but for Steph it went without saying. Looking at the clock over the door he realized that he still had another hour before the physical therapist would come to get him so he picked up his cell phone from the rolling table and dialed Tank's number.

"RangeMan."

"Yo, Tank. I need to talk to you, Lester and Bobby."

"We are all in my office. Let me put you on speaker."

When Ranger was sure he was on speaker he spilled out what had haunted him for the past hour and a half.

"Listen, I know this comes out of nowhere, but I want Stephanie to become the acting CEO of Rangeman while I'm in Texas for rehab."

"You'll go to Texas for rehab?" Tank asked a little perplex.

"Yes, Brooke Army in San Antonio. They have the Center for the Intrepid; the leading facility for amputees, but that's not the point. Tank, you always tell me that the workload is too much while I'm gone, that you miss chasing skips on a regular basis. Would you mind if Steph comes on board as CEO?"

"Hell no. I'm sure little girl would rock with the clients and I would support her with the technical concerns. You know I prefer to be second in command instead of being in the spotlight."

In the background, Ranger heard someone clearing his throat.

"What brings this on, cousin? You know I love Beautiful and I miss her terribly. She has a business degree, something none of the core team have, and I'm sure she will excel at the job, but it comes kinda unexpected."

"Well, for one we went through the reports you sent me, and she had some amazing ideas how to make things more efficient. Secondly, it would be a real booster for her ego and we all know how much she needs that. And last but not least I want to bind her to me. Things are changing, I am changing; that's all I will say. I can't offer her a relationship right now because there's too much on my plate that I have to deal with, but I will do what I can to make her an inherent part of my life and making her the CEO and by that essential for Rangeman seem to be the way to go."

"You have my blessing, man, and going by Lester's stupid smile he agrees, too."

"What about you Bobby?" Ranger asked while focusing on the white wall in front of him. "You are all part owner and I need everybody's consent for this endeavor."

"Heck, bring her on, bossman. I miss my Bomber and with all of us as support for the technical side of the business I know she will blow every expectation to smithereens."

"Then do me a favor Tank, let our attorneys put together a contract with all the bells and whistles. I won't accept her doing this for anything less than what we are getting out of the job."

"Do you think she will agree?" Tank had his doubts as he thought about what had to be done next. "So far she has always been opposed to a full-time job at Rangeman and any payment negotiations have been a pain in the ass."

"Gentlemen, this is important to me; more important than anything else. I am determined to do everything in my power and I am willing to negotiate a lot of compromises to get her to agree. And I want you all to be here with the paper work when I talk to her. She will be happy to see you; perhaps that will help. Dr. Wheeler said that I could be brought to Texas in about a week if I continue to progress this way. At that time everything has to be settled."

"Ten-four, bossman. I will call the lawyers now and set everything in motion."

* * *

_**Bloody hell, Steph the acting CEO of Rangeman? That sure would give her the chance to fly. The question is, will she agree...  
**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hey Babes, sorry for the delay, but I finally got another chapter done. Thanks again, Linda, for checking in with me. That little nudger spurred me on :)**_

_**This chapter will cover Kaminski's condition. Once you will be finished reading it will be obvious for everybody that he has grown on me. I love him dearly. Of course I'm no brain specialist, but I found a very interesting book written by a survivor of a stroke with massive bleeding that I use as guide.**_

_**And before I forget it: I want to thank everyone who has reviewed the last chapter, the newbies as well as the regulars. You guys kick ass in responding to every chapter and give me so much encouragement and validation. Thank you so much. And special thanks to my beta WizardsWoman for patiently waiting for me to finish this chapter even though that meant holding back on her own story to give me time. **_

_**Disclaimer: JE owns them all and makes the money ... I'm just playing around. Oh, wait, Kaminski is all mine :)**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 19**

When the rough looking man with the menacing vibes stepped out of the elevator onto the floor of the ICU, the atmosphere shifted noticeably. Without needing the command, his eyes scanned the floor for any possible threats while his heightened senses registered the overlapping smells and noises as he adjusted to the energy surrounding him. His body was full of tension from the combat he had just left behind and he had to force his muscles to relax, one by one, before walking towards the nurses' station. No sense in making anyone uncomfortable; it would just trigger his fight response. He knew he was potentially dangerous in his current condition, but he had no time to decompress for a few days. He was needed here; his best friend needed him.

"Corporal Leroy Martin," he introduced himself. "I'm here for Corporal Mark Kaminski; he named me his next of kin and I understand that he's in your care. I was told to meet with Dr. Taylor upon my arrival."

"Corporal Martin. It's good to have you here." The nurse smiled, seeing the signs of combat stress she knew all too well. "Please, take a seat at the waiting area over there and I will page Dr. Taylor to let her know that you are here. She's looking forward to finally meeting you."

Sitting straight as a rod on the edge of the chair, ready to attack at a moment's notice, Leroy Martin felt jumpy and volatile. He just wanted to get out of the stuffy, windowless waiting area into a room with fresh air that gave him a better overview and the chance to see the sky. There was something about confined spaces that made him irritable. They left you blind, unable to anticipate an attack and several times he nearly died when such a hole collapsed around him.

Fighting the urge to jump up, Leroy Martin recalled the past two months that caused him to betray and abandon the only close friend he'd ever had. Damn military, damn duty. He had been needed here, but he couldn't come, couldn't leave behind his brothers in arms because his presence was needed on a critical mission. His Commanding Officer had called him one day and told him that Mark had been severely injured and would be brought to Ramstein in Germany. Leroy wanted to get on the next plane. In absence of family, he and Mark had named each other as next of kin and had sworn to make the right calls should the need ever arise. The urge to hurry to his friend's side was overwhelming, but his CO forced him to stay. Fuck. The only chance he had to talk to someone was when Dr. Taylor's predecessor called while he was at base between assignments and he asked the doctor to do everything in his power to help Mark; not that they hadn't done that anyway. After that he and his team had left the base and had just come back the other day. But now his deployment was over and he had arranged for some down time to take care of things before he had to report back at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

The quiet steps of someone approaching alarmed Leroy and his eyes quickly took in the potential threat; a woman around forty with kind eyes and smile who emanated authority was walking purposefully towards the waiting room. Commanding his muscles to relax, he stood up and saluted the officer in front of him.

"Corporal Martin? I'm Dr. Taylor. I'm the head of the department for traumatic brain injury and the lead doctor in your friend's treatment."

Leroy acknowledged that he understood and waited for the Major to continue.

"I would like to take you back to my office so I can bring you up to speed regarding Corporal Kaminski's condition, but before I do that I need to tell you that there is a woman here who has taken comprehensive care of Mark ever since he was brought here. Her name is Stephanie Plum and she has sat with him every day for three hours minimum to talk, read and engage with him. She has a very keen perception of Mark's needs and has perplexed us repeatedly with her understanding of his wordless communication. She and Mark have developed a very tight bond and I would like for her to sit in on our talk because I think you would benefit from her insights when you visit with Mark for the first time."

Not responding verbally, Leroy simply nodded yes to Dr. Taylor. A few more moments passed and the good doctor broke the silence.

"Are you okay, Corporal Martin?" She asked concerned as she took in the darting eyes and stressed vibes of the man in front of her. She knew he was Special Forces and fresh out of combat; he should have taken a few days to acclimate before coming here. "Perhaps you should go to the hotel and rest a couple days before we have our talk."

"No," the man in front of her quickly shook his head; his expression making clear that his mind was set. "Mark is my top priority. We've been best friends ever since basic. I should have been here two months ago, but I couldn't. Now, I want and need to learn everything there is to learn so I can make the right decisions should he not be able to speak for himself."

Dr. Taylor nodded that she understood. "Then let us grab Stephanie and I will tell you everything we know."

Ten minutes later, Leroy Martin sat in front of Dr. Taylor's impressive dark cherry desk, a woman in her mid-thirties with curly brown hair in the chair next to him, who emanated such a soothing warmth and friendliness that he couldn't help but relax.

"Okay, let's start from the beginning." Dr. Taylor leaned back in her chair and seemed to sort through her thoughts. "Corporal Kaminski, whom we simply call Mark, was brought here about two months ago with a broken skull and a severe bleeding into his left hemisphere. The bleeding put pressure on his cerebral cortex causing his brain to shut down one after another of the so called gyri responsible for movement, understanding and creating speech, vision and recognizing physical boundaries. As soon as the extent of the bleeding was determined, we performed a craniotomy to suck out the excess blood, repair the damaged artery and elevate the pressure on the brain. The surgery was a full success, but at that time Mark was already in a comatose state and stayed in that condition for the next six weeks before he gradually started to come back to consciousness. That in-between state is best described as semi-coma where the patient becomes more and more aware of their surroundings but is still not fully conscious. In Mark's case it took him two weeks to come fully around. The most progress he has made the past four days."

"Can you put that in plain English, Dr. Taylor?" Leroy asked when the doctor made a brief pause to see whether there were any questions.

Smiling warmly, Dr. Taylor sat up and leaned forward with her hands clasped on the table top. "Of course and please interrupt me if something is unclear. Mark's skull was broken and an artery was ruptured on the left side of his head. We opened the skull to suck out the excess blood and repair the damaged artery, but the pressure and bleeding had already caused damage to his left hemisphere and the skills that are controlled there. From experience with other survivors it's safe to assume that Mark has lost any memory of his previous life. He's just starting to move his arms, but is not capable of rolling over and sitting up without assistance, let alone standing up and walking. He will have to learn that from scratch. In addition he is neither capable of understanding nor creating speech. That means he has immense problems understanding what we tell him and he isn't capable of saying anything in response. Tests have shown that furthermore his vision is impaired. You have to get close to his face so he can distinguish your features from the rest of the room. And he also seems to have trouble to sense the boundaries of his body. To him he's probably a big floating mass at one with the universe."

It was obvious that neither the soldier in front of her nor Stephanie understood what that meant.

"See," Dr. Taylor tried again. "At the moment Mark exists solely on his right mind that, by its design, is spontaneous, carefree and imaginative. There is no past, no future, just the present. Life is a happy place for him right now where everything is new and exciting. All the annoying rules and regulations that are defined by the left side of our brain are non-existent for Mark. Imagine you can't speak, you can't understand what the people around you are saying, and your whole life consists of pictures floating in and out of your mind. Every moment is rich and once it passes it is forgotten and something new and stunning happens. Survivors of such excessive bleeding have reported that they felt an immense inner peace and not at all impaired."

"Does that mean Mark is mentally disabled?" It hurt to even say it, but Leroy had to know what he was up against.

"Per definition yes," the doctor confirmed. "But what I am trying to explain to you is that he's not in a bad place."

Leroy leaned back in his chair and let that sink in. What did that mean for their future? He would want to help Mark in any capacity he could.

"Will he recover from this? And don't sugarcoat it."

Dr. Taylor looked at the man in front of her and chose her words carefully.

"No, probably not. The brain is fascinating, a masterpiece and capable of so much more than we know, but the injuries to Mark's left hemisphere are immense and I don't expect a full recovery. The next two months will be the most critical. In this time the most progress will be achieved. The following ten months are also very important, but the improvement won't be as noticeable after the first two months. I don't want to make any prognoses how many of his skills he will gain back, but if he learns to speak, walk, live his life and be a productive member of society with the support of parents, friends and caretakers then I will be very happy."

Leroy nodded that he understood, but couldn't bring himself to look up and see the devastating truth written all over the doctor's face. Mentally disabled. His once so vibrant friend who had always been full of zest for life, who had breezed through Ranger school turning heads everywhere, would never be the same again. His heart broke for Mark and all that he would have to endure over the next year.

"Leroy." Steph moved her chair so she was facing the man next to her. "I know this must sound devastating to you, but please believe me when I tell you that Mark is at a happy place right now. Everything about him, his smile, his soft eyes that are full of wonder, the trust and kindness he's emanating, is telling me that he is alright. He may not understand us at the moment and he may not be able to talk to us, but he's not dim-witted. It's all there, he just can't access the information. He's wounded, and once his wounds start to heal his body and mind will follow. To what extent? We don't know, but as long as he's happy I say it doesn't matter. He will always have friends in us and a home at Rangeman."

"Stephanie is right," Dr. Taylor turned her attention to the man on the other side of her desk. "How about you visit with Mark for a while and later we can discuss what the next steps will be for him. We've done as much for him as we can and it's now important that he gets the best care possible at a place specialized in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries."

The man in front of her inclined his head to show that he agreed and looked over to Stephanie. "Will you accompany me? Dr. Taylor said that you and Mark have a special bond and if he can't remember his past, then he can't remember me so I guess he will be more comfortable with someone close that he knows."

"I will gladly introduce you," Steph smiled warmly and stood up to shake Dr. Taylor's hand. "I'll see you later, Doctor."

When they reached Mark's room, Steph stopped and turned to the man that had followed her obediently.

"Listen," she hesitated a moment before putting her hand on Leroy Martin's chest over his heart. "Nobody has told me anything, but I'm good at putting puzzle pieces together. Everything about you screams tension and stress. That in addition to the fact that you have missed the past two months leads me to the assumption that you've been deployed in a conflict area. I can't begin to understand what that does with someone's mind and the fact that you are tense and stressed is understandable, but the problem is that Mark doesn't deal well with negative energy. I don't know how to help you, but if somehow possible try to relax and tone the tension down because otherwise he will simply turn away and ignore you. If he welcomes you by paying attention, look directly in his eyes. Don't be afraid of getting really close to his face, otherwise he can't discern you from the background. Once you are close, speak slowly with a soft voice and enunciate the words clearly. The more time you give him the better the chance that he understands something. As Dr. Taylor explained to me – it's all there filed away in file cabinets, he just can't access the drawers of the cabinets at the moment. He tries really hard and sometimes it seems that he finds the meaning of a word and can connect a picture to it. That's when his whole face will lit up like a Christmas tree. It's the most wonderful thing to witness."

Leroy Martin squared his shoulders, took some deep breaths and to her utter amazement Steph could see how one muscle after the other seemed to relax and the once rough vibes softened.

"I want to do this right," he said after his whole posture appeared more at ease. "I just hope that Mark will give me a chance."

"He has a wonderful open mind and is always ready to smile, just give him time." And with that Steph stepped around the corner into Mark Kaminski's room who immediately turned his head and smiled brightly when he became aware of Steph walking towards his bed.

"Hey Sweetie," she bend over so her face was close to his and caressed his cheeks before eventually pressing a soft kiss onto his forehead. "I brought you a visitor."

Mark looked at her, smiling, obviously not understanding.

"A visitor," Steph repeated slowly. "That is someone who comes into your room and wants to talk to you or read a book to you."

She could see how his brow furrowed as he was trying to understand and smiled encouragingly.

"Turn your head and look over there," Steph moved her hand to Mark's face before pointing at Leroy who had luckily come closer to the bed. "This is your best friend. His name is Leroy. You won't remember him, but he's here because you are important to him and he wants to help you."

Following Steph's arm with his eyes, Mark was now curiously looking at the stranger next to his bed.

"Hey buddy," Leroy got real close, the kind smile and soft tone of his voice surprising Steph. "My name is Leroy and we are best friends." For a moment, the Special Forces soldier looked a little lost what to do next, but then he reached for Mark's right arm, lightly slapped their hands together before taking Mark's hand to form a fist and bump it with his own. "That's right buddy, that's our handshake. I was told you are starting moving your arms so in no time you will be able to great me properly. Until then I will help you."

Mark's eyes mirrored his confusion, but something about Leroy's posture and behavior must have pleased him because without warning the most beautiful smile blossomed on his face eliciting a smile on Leroy's face in return.

"He likes you," Steph said with obvious joy. "I'm so glad. That makes it a lot easier." She waited until Mark turned his eyes back on her. "Let's see whether you can recall this morning's lesson. Do you remember what a hand is? Show me your hand, Mark."

Happily, she watched his eyes drop down to his left hand after a moment of thinking.

"That's right, Sweetie. You remember. Now give me your hand."

Steph wasn't sure he really understood what she said, but he definitely knew what she wanted. Looking at his left hand she could see him concentrate right before he awkwardly lifted his arm, moved it over his body and let his hand drop into hers.

"That's it! You did it again!" Steph took his hand in both of hers and squeezed while she smiled brightly. "I'm so proud of you." The happiness on Mark's face was infectious.

Leroy watched the interaction between the two and slowly got a feeling for how to deal with his friend. Eye contact, low and soft voice, clear enunciation, small tasks, big celebrations; he could do that.

Meanwhile, Mark was looking with utmost wonder at his big hand in Steph's smaller ones.

"That's a big hand, isn't it?" Steph smiled at him. Taking his hand she stretched out his fingers, than splayed her own hand against his. "Look at the difference. Your hand is sooo big and mine is sooo small."

Watching him marvel at the difference between their hands filled Steph's heart with warmth. She never thought she had it in her, dealing with handicapped people, taking over the responsibility coming with that, but interacting with Mark gave her such a joy that she didn't realize how fast time passed when she was with him.

"How about I leave you alone with him?" She turned her attention towards Leroy. "You could talk to him, tell him about your friendship and adventures, or you could read to him. We started the Harry Potter series; there's a bookmark where we stopped this morning. He doesn't understand what is read, but he enjoys the peace and cadence."

Leroy nodded and stepped around the bed to the side where Steph was sitting on the mattress. When Steph got ready to stand up, Mark's eyes widened in alarm and started switching back and forth between Leroy and her.

"It's okay, Sweetie," she leaned over him and caressed his face. "I have to meet with Ranger. Leroy will stay with you and before you know it I will be back, I promise."

The anxiety in his eyes broke Steph's heart. They had become really close and she didn't know what she was supposed to do once Ranger was ready to be brought to Texas. She wanted to accompany him, but Mark needed her, too. His dependence on her became stronger with every day.

"Hey buddy," Leroy spoke up, taking over Mark's hand and holding it in his. "It's okay that you are a little scared, after all you don't remember me, but I promise you we will have fun. Let Steph go and do her thing and we will practice that hand thing a little more before I read to you. Okay?"

Mark's eyes settled on Leroy and searched for something. When his facial features relaxed and a small smile tugged at his lips, Steph leaned over and pressed a last kiss on his cheek.

"You will be fine, Sweetie. I'll be back soon." With that she stood up and squeezed his foot on her way around the end of the bed before she left the room.

Returning to the ward where Ranger's room was located, Steph thought about Corporal Leroy Martin and the impression their small encounter left on her. She knew she would have to tell Ranger about him if she wanted to get on top of the jumble of emotions in her. Something about the man touched her heart and peeked her curiosity. Steph couldn't put a finger on it, but it was there and she felt the urge to keep in close touch with him. Of course the fact that they were both caring for Mark would ensure that all by itself. As she approached Ranger's room the sound of booming laughter caught her by surprise. Who could be visiting him? Skip and Akroyd had been flown back stateside a week ago and she didn't know of anybody else Ranger felt comfortable socializing with. Stepping closer to the door, Steph strained her ears as she tried to identify the voices behind the laughter.

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_**I hope you liked this chapter and the character Mark Kaminski that I created. Supporting him will give Steph another chance to grow and mature. Now, leave me a review so I know whether you would like me to develop Kaminski's character in future chapters or not.**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Linda, your 'nudger' was heard. As promised here is the next chapter :)**_

_**A heartfelt thank you for all the lovely reviews I got for the last chapter. I was positively surprised how many of you expressed their wish to hear more about Kaminski so I decided to make him part of this chapter, too. If you feel my love and care for him, I know I have done my job well.**_

_**Disclaimer: All the characters known from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 20**

"Excuse me, can you say that again?" Steph sat cross-legged on the end of Ranger's bed and looked confused at the blank faces of the four men in the room.

"Babe, I… **we** want you to become the acting CEO of Rangeman while I'm in Texas to recuperate and learn to walk with prostheses."

"That's what I thought you said." Steph stared at him dumbfounded. "Have you lost your mind? I mean do some of the drugs you have to take tamper with your common sense?"

"No Babe. I definitely lost some parts of me, but my brain is working just fine," Ranger replied with the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Tank, Bobby, Les… seriously? I can't do that. You have to talk some sense into him."

When Steph barged into the room finding her best friends together with Ranger shooting the shit, she had squealed and thrown herself at them in delight. Seeing them here had been a shock, but what a great shock it was. All her fatigue and worries were forgotten the moment they enveloped her in their strong arms.

"Beautiful, believe me we discussed this and we wouldn't offer you the position if we weren't absolutely sure that you could handle it."

"Not just handle it, honey, but excel at it," Bobby strengthened Lester's statement. "This is your chance to fly and prove your mom and everybody who has ever doubted you wrong."

"But Tank," Steph looked at the big black man with pleading eyes, "that is your job. You are the boss at Rangeman when Ranger isn't around."

"And I hate it with a passion, Little Girl. I don't like to be in the spotlight. You taking over would make me the happiest man in the world."

Wringing her hands, Steph shook her head. "I can't do that. I want to be close to Ranger and thought of moving to San Antonio while he's there. There's surely a diner in need of a waitress."

"Babe, that would be a waste of your skills and you know that. Besides, who says that I want you to move there?"

Steph's eyes shot up to find Ranger's and the hurt was obvious in them. "You don't want me with you?"

"That's not what I said, Babe. I love to have you around, but you have become my emotional crutch, and that is exactly the reason why I am thinking of going to Texas on my own. I have become dependent on you and that is not what I want. I want you around as equal partner and not because I can't manage my day-to-day life without you. But that is something we can discuss later. Now, I want to talk to you about becoming Rangeman's acting CEO."

"Ranger, that's a nutty idea. You know how I regularly roll in garbage and how everything around me has a tendency to go boom. I will damage if not destroy your business."

"What I know, Babe, is that you are the most tenacious woman I have ever met. Your capture rate is hundred percent, something unheard of in our business. You have amazing social skills and unmatched instincts; you can put puzzle pieces together like no one else I've ever met. Plus, and this is a big plus, you have a business degree, something that none of the core team has accomplished. Remember all those suggestions for improvements you made the other day? You completely threw me for a loop that afternoon. You have such a complex economic knowledge that you put us all to shame. Rangeman would profit from your savvy."

When Ranger saw the doubt in Steph's eyes, he sat up straight, leaned forward and grabbed her hands that immediately relaxed upon his touch.

"Babe, I trust you with my life, trusting you with my business is one of the easiest decisions I've ever made."

"Ranger, I have no knowledge about the security business. Putting me in charge would be a wreck waiting to happen."

"Little Girl, you have the full support of the core team," Tank said, his blank face replaced by hope and sincerity. "Lester, Bobby and I will be by your side and give advice to you whenever you want. The only thing you are missing is the technical knowledge; that's what we are there for. Being the CEO is about being the face of the company, someone the customers can reach out to when they have questions or complaints. It's about being someone that potential new customers feel comfortable with, someone who is a leader for the men and offers them the leadership they need to excel. You are all that and so much more. Any major decisions will be discussed within the core team and need all of our consent so it's not as though you suddenly have to shoulder an immense responsibility. We are always there, just and office away, and I'm sure the bossman will support you via phone whenever you need it."

"Be sure of that, Babe. I will need my daily phone call with you to make it through the days because I expect my time at San Antonio to be very hard and challenging."

Steph thought about Tank and Ranger's arguments and listened to her inner voices, but for once they had decided to be silent. Staring at her hands, her bottom lip found its way between her teeth and she chewed on it relentlessly.

"Beautiful." Lester's hands suddenly covering hers in her lap caused her to jump. Without her realizing it he had stood up and was now crouching in front of her where she was still sitting crossed-legged on the foot of Ranger's bed. "What are you worried about? Tell us. We are here to discuss the topic with you and hopefully resolve your fears."

"What… what if the men do not respect my authority? I know they love me, but I'm not sure they are taking me serious."

"Beautiful, the men respect the hell out of you. You have to believe me on that. Bomber duty is not a pain, it's a privilege that they fight over."

"Yes, because I'm entertainment," Steph said with sadness lacing her voice.

"No," Lester replied patiently, knowing this was important. "Because they trust your instincts, because they know you have their back no matter what, and lastly because you make them feel special. They will **love** to work for you."

"What if me being their boss will change the dynamic between us? I don't want to lose their love and friendship."

This time it was Bobby who stood up, tapped Lester on his shoulder so he would make room, and crouched down in front of her.

"The dynamic will definitely change, honey, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. They will show you their respect more openly by following your command and doing everything in their power to excel. They might tone down the hugs and kisses, but that doesn't mean they won't continue to love you. Nothing could change that, and they will want you to be proud of them. Ranger, Tank, Lester and I we lead by using our authority to instill a healthy respect if not fear. That's because we don't know better. You on the other hand will have a completely different leadership style. The men will follow you not because they fear punishment but because they want to please you. Your friendship with them will be the base of your success."

Steph sighed and nodded that she had understood and believed Bobby. Furrowing her brow she kept her eyes on her hands and tried to wrap her head around everything that had been said.

"Babe, I know this is a lot to take in and I understand if you want to step out and think about everything for a while. Just know the following. I will need all of my energy for the challenges ahead of me in the next few months and I need to know that my company is taken care of by someone I trust emphatically. This someone is you; there's no other."

Steph nodded again and finally looked up and met his gaze. "Why haven't you said please, yet?"

"Because I know what that word does to you, Babe. This is an important decision that will alter your life and it has to be made with your whole heart and not because you feel obliged."

Taking his hands in hers she squeezed them. "Thank you. You don't know what that means to me." Eventually, Steph stood up and stretched. "If you will excuse me now, I have a lot of stuff to think about."

Once outside the room, Steph wondered where to go. She was in need of a smile and of someone unbiased that wouldn't judge her; she needed Mark. He might not understand what she told him, but thanks to the impairment of his judgmental left hemisphere, his right mind allowed for an amazing empathy. Finding her way back to the ICU, she walked down the hall and quietly entered Kaminski's room. The sight greeting her caused Steph to smile. Both men were asleep; Mark in his bed and Leroy on a chair next to him with the open Harry Potter book in his lap. It seemed as though the bonding had worked just fine. Quietly taking the second chair from the wall and stepping towards the bed, Steph shrieked and let the chair fall to the ground when Leroy unexpectedly jumped up, his body tense like a tight coiled spring, ready to attack, while his eyes searched the room for a threat. It took him just a few seconds to realize where he was and that there was no imminent danger, but that was enough time to get Steph's heart racing and wake up Mark.

"Sorry, Steph. I'm sorry," Leroy tried to apologize but the walls seemed to close in on him and though he had made a quick reality check and knew he was in a hospital at his friend's side, his whole body was prickling with a mix of fear, stress and anticipation of an assault. Without looking at Mark, not ready to see him turning away from him after they had such a good time together, he picked up the book that had fallen to the ground. "Excuse me, but I can't stay here. I need to get out of this building."

"Leroy," Stephanie called after him, pleased when he turned his head before rushing out of the room. "It's okay. We are okay. You take a walk outside and try to calm your mind and I promise we will be fine."

Nodding that he had understood her, Leroy quickly strode down the hall to the stairwell, the only thing on his mind the blue sky and fresh air.

"Wow. What a scare," Steph picked up the chair and quickly sat down on Mark's bed who looked a little flustered. "What just happened had nothing to do with us," she tried to assure him as she picked up his hand and rubbed soothing circles on its back. "You both were sleeping. Leroy became frightened by my sudden appearance and because he's just back from combat he thought for a second that I wanted to attack him. Once he's outside and takes a walk, he will feel better."

Mark looked at her confused and still a little unsettled so she leaned forward and touched their foreheads together. The past few days had shown if you wanted to soothe him you needed to become physical.

"It's okay, Sweetie. Everything is okay," she said slowly, her voice calm and quiet and each word perfectly enunciated. She knew he would understand the intonation and cadence.

Leaning up a little so she could look into his eyes, Steph smiled, caressed his cheeks and pressed a soft kiss on his brow.

"Look who's smiling at me," she eventually crooned when first a small smile appeared on Mark's face that soon grew into a wide grin as he realized that it pleased her. "That's exactly what I need. You are such a cutie; I could hug you all the time."

Encouraged by her happiness, Mark lifted his left arm and let his hand fall into Steph's. You could see it was a real effort for him and the movement was awkward and robotic, but it had the desired effect because it caused Steph to smile even wider and rub his arm in joy.

"That's it, Sweetie. You are the man! Can you try to lift the other hand, too?"

Following Steph's gaze, Mark looked at his right hand and furrowed his brow. Since the injury was to his left hemisphere it meant that the right side of his body was significantly more impacted than the left side.

"You can do it," Steph encouraged him and positioned her open hand right next to his. "Just try and give your best. That's all I want."

The struggle was visible in his tense facial features, but Mark wanted to please the one person who meant the world to him. Ever so slowly, his right hand started to move; first just the fingers, then the palm, too. He didn't manage to lift it, but with immense effort he moved it a couple inches to the side so Steph could slide her hand under his.

"That's amazing, Sweetie!" Steph leaned forward and hugged him before pressing a kiss on his cheek. "I'm so proud of you. Do you realize what you have done? That was more than you managed yesterday. That's so great."

In front of her Mark was beaming over his whole face, carried away by Steph's enthusiasm.

"His progress is astonishing," Leroy said from the door, casually leaning against the frame. "We practiced with his left arm a bit earlier and I had a feeling that with each try he would become a little better."

Surprised Steph had turned around at the sound of his voice and now watched the man carefully. His body seemed relaxed and there was no longer a dangerous atmosphere around him.

"Leroy, I'm surprised to see you back. I thought you wanted to take a walk."

"That was the plan, but once I was outside I immediately felt better and thought I should come back here to check on Mark. I must have scared him when I jumped up like that."

"Our man is fine. He had a little scare, but nothing a hug, kiss and smile couldn't heal," Steph replied, smiling at Leroy. "I'm glad you are feeling better."

"Yeah, about that…" The man leaning against the door frame hesitated for a moment.

"It's okay, Leroy. You don't have to explain yourself. I work with a bunch of former Special Forces and understand the power your demons have over you from time to time. I've collected my own demons over the years."

"You?" Leroy asked skeptically as he stepped into the room and walked around the bed to take a seat in the deserted chair.

"Yes. You need to know that I work as a bounty hunter and have attracted quite a number of stalkers and other crazies over the years. I've been shot at, firebombed, kidnapped and nearly killed, repeatedly. I may not have seen what you have seen on your deployments, but believe me when I say I've seen enough to feed some horrible nightmares."

"Wow. I'd never have guessed."

"Never let the outside appearance misguide you. It's similar with Mark here," she turned to Kaminski who had watched her intently the whole time while she had talked. "People will see him and think he's mentally disabled, weird, even odd. They will automatically judge him, but I see so much more. I see a loving soul with a stunning empathy who loves to smile and make people happy. Those are the essentials wonderful people are made of. With that said it doesn't matter how far he will come because no matter what he will be a great guy," Steph smiled at her charge and got a smile in return.

She loved him, truly loved him. Without thinking Steph leaned over Mark and caressed his cheek and he in return lifted his left hand and let it fall onto Steph's. Apparently they had a new way of communicating that everything was okay.

"What is it like to be a bounty hunter?" Leroy asked after Steph had straightened up again.

"Ninety percent of the time it's rather boring; computer work, canvasing neighborhoods, surveillance, but then there is that ten percent where everything can go to hell in a hand basket and you put your life at risk. That ten percent makes it an awesome job… as long as you don't get injured. That sucks of course."

That caused Leroy to chuckle. "I agree, getting injured sucks. For how long have you been here? Who is doing your job while you are gone?"

"How long? Oh my, I can't tell you for sure." Steph picked up Marks right hand and started massaging it while she tried to count the weeks. "Must be two months or more now. Mark's CO on that last mission, Ranger, is my best friend. He lost both his legs and is in a room a couple floors down. Mark's other two comrades have already flown back stateside. To be honest, Ranger or better his company Rangeman has paid for my stay and everything else so far. Otherwise I couldn't have spent so much time here."

"Wait. Are you talking about Ranger Mañoso? THE Ranger Mañoso?"

"He is the only one I know. Does the name ring a bell?"

"You could say that." Leroy's eyes were wide with respect and admiration. "He's a legend within the Ranger's. Everyone dreams of being assigned to him. It's an honor because he just picks the best; no wonder Mark was with him. I didn't know that Ranger lost his legs. Hell, nobody knows. The news would have spread like a wildfire."

"Then do me a favor and keep it for yourself for the time being. I don't know when Ranger wants to go public with it. Probably it will be out as soon as he arrives at the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, but anyways… just keep it quiet, okay?"

"Okay, Steph. Don't worry, I won't tell anybody… The Center for the Intrepid is excellent. A friend was there after losing one leg and they really built him back up not just physically but also emotionally."

"Yeah, we are full of hope. I know he will fight to get as much independence back as possible."

A tugging at her hand made Steph turn her head to Mark who was watching her intently.

"What Sweetie?" She looked at him and tried to read the expression in his eyes. "Are you bored? Do you want to be included?" Steph asked slowly while squeezing his hand. "Ranger will soon be flown out and your time is coming, too. We need to get you to a place that can help you better than the doctors and therapists here can. You want to get better, right?"

Mark looked confused but at the same time pleased that he was back in Steph's focus.

"You know what the most absurd thing is?" She asked while smiling down at him. "Ranger and his core team asked me to become Rangeman's acting CEO while he's in Texas. Isn't that completely insane? Little ol' me a CEO…"

When she smiled at him she got a big smile in return.

"Yeah, you smile at me, but just because you don't understand what that means. I would have command over all his men, I'd be responsible for so much… finding new clients, keeping existing clients happy, the skip tracing with everything it encompasses, the men's well-being. Tank said that they would share the load with me and that I wouldn't have to carry the whole burden, but that's not the way I work. If I take something serious, I take it really serious, and the thought of all that responsibility overwhelms me.

"That sounds like a great chance to me." Leroy said quietly while watching the woman on the bed lovingly interacting with his friend.

"Yeah, a great chance to destroy my best friend's company and men." Steph mumbled under her breath as she held Kaminski's hand and with her other hand rubbed his belly through the sheets.

He wasn't sure whether he was supposed to hear that comment, but it made Leroy furrow his brow. "I don't understand."

Not taking her attention away from Mark, Steph answered, "See, it's like that. I'm quite accident prone. I might have a hundred percent capture rate, but I frequently roll in garbage and my cars explode faster than the insurance company can reimburse me. I may have a business degree, but I'm not the right person for this job. They need someone smart and confident who is tried and tested."

"Well, of course I've never met Ranger in person, but believe me when I say that men like him don't make decisions lighthearted. They weigh the pros and cons and then decide for the best possible solution. And from what I've heard he takes the well-being of the men subordinated to him very serious. If he has decided that the best leader for his company is you, then you can trust me that he has pondered it thoroughly."

Steph sat on the bed, playing with Kaminski's fingers, and tried to get on top of the jumble of thoughts in her mind. A squeeze to her hand made her look up and she saw Mark's eyes fastened on hers.

"What?" She watched him questioningly. When the intensity of his stare didn't waver, she furrowed her brow and thought what he could want. "What is it, Sweetie? What do you want me to do?"

Mark started to rock his upper body confusing Steph even more. When he stopped and looked at her once again, she was at a loss.

"I don't understand. I'm so sorry."

Frustrated, he stared at his left arm, lifted it, but instead of letting it drop in Steph's hand he held it up before gravity made it fall down on the mattress.

"Do you want me to help you sit up?"

Instead of an answer, Mark lifted his arm again and looked asking at her.

"Let's see what you think about this." Steph leaned forward, pushed her arms between the mattress and his back to wrap them around his shoulders and straightened back up taking Mark's upper body with her.

As soon as he was sitting, Steph felt him lift his left arm again and wrap it lightly around her back while his head snuggled into the crook of her neck.

"You want to hug me?" She whispered tenderly in his ear as she enveloped him with her arms and squeezed. "Oh my, that's so sweet. This is by far the most wonderful hug I've ever gotten."

And it was. The trust and love that she felt pouring out of Mark left her humble. Here she was, the stronger of the two of them, and nonetheless he took it upon himself to comfort her because he felt that something was off with her. His empathy was astounding.

"I hope that one day soon he will rely on me as much as he relies on you," Leroy said as he watched his friend lean into Steph's body.

"He will. You two just met and look how trusting he is with you. Something about you must trigger good feelings in him." Steph held on to Mark and rubbed his back to show him that she was okay. When she felt him move his head, she leaned back, cupped his face in her hands and rubbed her thumbs over his cheeks. "Thank you, Sweetie. That was wonderful. I needed that hug." Helping him back down on the mattress, she pressed a kiss first on his left, then on his right cheek, and smiled at him getting a big smile in return.

"Steph, regarding that job offer," Leroy started, not sure how to word what was on his mind. "Think about all the good you could do as CEO. If I were in your shoes I would see it as a chance to make the world a better place and I would put all my energy and love into making that happen."

"Believe me, I do. I see all the chances, but I also feel incredibly insecure. My whole life I was told that I am good for nothing and it has become part of my thinking."

"That's bullshit. From the little I know about you I can say that you are an amazing person and I feel honored that I got the chance to meet you. I say go for it; seize the chance; trust your best friend that he knows you well enough to make the right decision. Some chances we only get once in life. Don't risk being full of regrets later when you look back."

Steph smiled as she looked into Mark's highly focused face as he concentrated on moving the fingers of his right hand that Steph had laid on his stomach. He had to overcome so much and did everything asked of him, even if that meant to try and try again. Life was like a playground for him and he had fun playing. When did she lose that carefreeness? She had always wanted to be Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman wouldn't shy away from a challenge. Never. Sitting up and straightening her shoulders, Steph mentally nodded to herself as she came to a decision.

"You are right. It's time to pull on the big girl panties and prove the world wrong. After all I have Tank, Bobby and Lester to fall back on when I struggle."

"That's what I want to hear." Leroy smiled at her. "You seem to be one tough cookie and I can see you in the position as CEO."

"Since that decision is made, I have a question, Leroy. How close are you to being out of the service?"

"I have three months left."

Steph nodded that she understood. "I have a hypothetical question. After you are finished serving and assuming that you decide not to renew your contract, what would be your ideal job?"

"I don't know. A lot depends on how Mark will recuperate. We are family for each other so I want to be close to him in case he needs me. That would exclude working for a private company like Blackwater because they would deploy me again. What I can say is that I would hate to become a rent-a-cop at a mall."

"What about applying for a job at Rangeman? They do high level security and skip tracing and you would be close to Mark because Ranger and I already discussed that we want to give him a home at Rangeman and offer him a job when he has recuperated enough."

"Steph, I don't know."

"Wasn't it you who just told me that some chances are given to us just once and to seize them? That could be your chance to make this world a better place … Mark," Steph turned her head to Kaminski who immediately looked at her curiously. "What do you think, should Leroy have a job with me?"

Within a second a blinding smile bloomed on Kaminski's face that could have lit up the whole base. Steph doubted he had really understood her, but that didn't matter; his smile was heartwarming and trusting and had the power to make you forget about your doubts and fears.

"Think about it, okay?" She turned back to Leroy. "I need to go to the cafeteria and get me some cake. I have some big decisions to make."

After she had hugged Kaminski and told him properly good-bye, Steph regarded Leroy for a moment. Before she could think twice about it, she leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"I don't know much about you, but I know you are a good guy. My instincts are telling me that. I'm glad Mark has you as friend."

With that Steph waved at Mark and quickly left the room. She had a lot of things to ponder and she knew a generous amount of sugar was the only thing that might help her with that. Checking the display case with the cakes and pies in the cafeteria, Steph decided for three different pieces of layer cake with rich icing. Lost in her thoughts, she slowly ate the rich decadent dessert without really tasting it. There was so much going through her head that she asked for a pen and napkin and started to take notes. After she was finished, Steph remained seated in the cafeteria and looked down at her scribble. Even if the thought of taking on the job as acting CEO scared her, she knew that Leroy was right and that she had to take the chance to finally fly. As she sat there absentmindedly drawing hearts and flowers on the napkin, Steph became aware of two pairs of black clad legs standing right in front of her table. Surprised she lifted her eyes and the sight greeting her immediately made her smile. Two men were looking down at her with love in their eyes and all fears and doubts were forgotten. At that moment her decision became etched in stone; challenge accepted; Trenton hear me roar.

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_**Okay Babes, I hope you all liked this chapter. Now let's blow the 500 review mark to smithereens. I put an extra large crosshair on it :)**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Whoohoooo ... 511 reviews. Babes, you rock! This is the 6th story I write, the 4th multiple chapter story and NEVER have I gotten 500+ reviews before. Wow. This feels incredible (beam brightly) thanks so much!  
**_

_**This is a connecting chapter - not much action, but a big decision that comes with several conditions. Thank you so very much to WizardsWoman for her untiring help! Ya da best.**_

_**Disclaimer is the same as always: What you know from the books belongs to Janet Evanovich.**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 21**

"Bobby, Les," Steph greeted the two men standing in front of her with a smile on her face. "If you are here to keep me from comforting myself with three pieces of wonderful rich and decadent cake, then you are unfortunately too late."

"Three pieces?" Bobby winced as Lester let out a loud laugh.

"No wonder you are so sweet, Beautiful, with all the sugar floating your system. Don't let the bossman know about that."

"He has no say in what I eat, Les, and he knows it. Okay, he would Babe me if he knew, but oh well. I could still pretend not to know what he meant by that." Steph grinned up at him.

"Seriously, are you okay, honey?" Bobby looked at her, all concerned friend. "You've been gone for quite a while so Les and I thought we should look for you to see whether you need a hug or two while you come to your decision."

"Thanks for worrying, guys, but I'm fine. I was just working up the nerve to come upstairs and talk to you."

"No guts needed, Beautiful. We all love you, you know that. Whatever you decide won't change anything about that."

"I know Les, but that doesn't mean that I'm not nervous and a little scared how my decision will be perceived."

"And what is your decision?" Bobby pulled her out of her chair, hugged her and pressed a loving kiss to her forehead.

"I will tell you when we are in Ranger's room, okay? He's the one who asked, he needs to be the one I tell first."

A few minutes later, they walked down the hall of the third floor toward Ranger's room. Steph wanted to wait for a moment before entering to take a few deep breaths and collect herself, but Les simply hugged her from behind, pressed a big, smacking kiss on her neck, then opened the door and pushed her insight before he and Bobby followed her.

Stumbling into the room, Steph caught herself before she could fall on Ranger's bed and hurt him in the process.

"Dammit Lester." She turned around and glared at him without heat, but the man behind her just shrugged with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Didn't want you to worry too much."

"You worry, Babe?" Ranger asked from the bed, the head section raised so he was in a sitting position.

"A bit." Steph pulled her lower lip between her teeth and chewed on it.

"But there's no reason. Nothing will change between us no matter what."

"Theoretically I know that, but practically I worry that I will disappoint you."

"Babe, you can't disappoint me. Never. The fact alone that you decided to think about my proposal and didn't reject it the moment it left my mouth makes me incredibly proud of you." Ranger watched Steph who had her eyes trained on the floor and her bottom lip between her teeth. "Cake?"

Steph's head flew up and she looked at him with wide eyes. Of course he would know. "Three pieces."

"Babe." And there it was, Ranger's almost smile that meant so much to her.

Steph couldn't help but smile in return. "I don't know what that's supposed to mean."

Ranger threw his head in his neck and let go of a full belly laugh.

"Did the cake help?" He asked with a two hundred watt smile lighting up his face.

"I didn't really taste anything." Steph shrugged her shoulders. "But I already had made up my mind while I visited Mark and Leroy before going down to the cafeteria."

"Lay it on the line, Babe. I promise nothing will change between us no matter what your answer is."

"Okay." Steph took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I will take the job…"

Whoops of joy echoed from the walls of the room and she was squished with hugs before she could continue.

"… wait, wait, you haven't let me finish."

"What is it, Babe?"

"I will take the job under the following conditions." She pulled out the napkin with her scribble.

Immediately, the hubbub ebbed away and the guys looked at her expectantly.

"I realize that when I take over the job as acting CEO I need to be a role model for the guys. I will never excel at that to the point you do, Ranger, but I want to give my best. Therefore I accept that I need to have training. The first condition is that my fitness training will take place outside of Rangeman. I will get myself a personal trainer who will of course be Rangeman approved and train with him several times per week. Having all the guys around me while I struggle with the simplest tasks will make me uncomfortable and dread the training that will be hard enough on me. If I want to do this, it needs to be outside of Rangeman and on my terms."

Ranger looked at her and nodded after a moment. "Condition approved; go on."

"The job specific training like shooting, defensive driving, self-defense and take-down techniques will take place at Rangeman with a Merry Men **of my choice.**"

"Babe, Tank, Bobby and Les will love to take over your training or chose one of the guys for you. Not every one of them has the same strengths. The core team knows best which ones are the most capable."

"Ranger, these conditions are non-negotiable. I am not asking for them, I expect them to be accepted if you want me to take on the job. All this training will be an immense change for me, one that I will struggle with. To stick to this regimen I need to feel as comfortable as possible and that means I will decide which guy will train me. Once it becomes second nature to me, if that will ever happen, I will be open for a change in training partners."

"Okay, Babe. I'm not happy about it, but your argument is reasonable. Condition approved. What next?"

"I agree to move into a safer apartment, but **not** at Rangeman."

"But Beautiful, we would love to have you with us. Imagine all the fun we could have."

"Les, I know you mean well, but I expect to have twelve to fourteen hours days. I need to get out of the building after a long day of work. Otherwise I would feel imprisoned. I really need a change of scenery."

"Will you discuss your new apartment with Tank and listen to his objections and wishes?" Ranger asked.

"Yes, I promise I will take his advice into account, but the final decision will be up to me. This is about my life and I need to feel comfortable and in control."

Ranger looked down at his hands in his lap and contemplated her words. He wanted her to live on seven, but he knew her too well to expect her to accept that offer. It would probably make her run screaming for the hills. So far she was more than reasonable. He had to trust her that she would make the right decision about her living place. And let's face it, everything would be better than the crappy apartment she had now.

"Okay, Babe. I'm happy that you agree to move into a safer apartment and as long as you will discuss your options with Tank and take his arguments seriously I'm fine."

"Thank you." Steph let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"What comes next, Babe? That napkin has an awful lot of notes scribbled on it." Ranger smiled at her and she could feel how her body relaxed in response.

"No diet! All this responsibility and changes will take a toll on me and I need to eat my comfort food."

"Okay, Babe. Accepted."

"What?" Steph looked at him with confusion written all over her face.

"I said accepted. No diet for you, you can eat whatever you want."

Steph stared at him speechless for a moment. "Wow. I thought this would be the hardest point and that we would fight over this."

"I would never fight over a minor matter as your diet. Yes, I want you to be healthy because I want you by my side for as long as possible, but I accept that your eating habits differ from mine and that is okay."

"I have to admit that baffles me." Steph shifted from one foot to the other, but then remembered her list. "Okay, since that is sorted out my next condition concerns my partner. As CEO of the leading security company on the east coast I will be at a greater risk than I've been so far. I accept to take a partner with me at all times, but I will decide who that will be. For the time being I haven't made a decision whether I will choose a permanent partner or whether I will take whoever is free, but this or that way it will be my choice."

"Beautiful, I thought we would partner up."

"I appreciate you wanting to have my back Les, but no, you are part of the management. In my opinion it's important that the core team doesn't partner together but act independent from each other so the work load can be distributed on as many shoulders as possible. I hope that makes sense to all of you."

"What about Bobby and me?"

"Same rules. That doesn't mean there won't be exceptions, but in general I think we should partner up with the other guys. For one to avoid that two managers are held up at the same time for the same reason and for two because it will improve the relationship with the guys if we partner up with them regularly."

"Approved, Babe. You can decide which one of the men you want as partner. Regarding splitting up tweedledee and tweedledum – good luck with that one. I won't interfere in that discussion. What else do you have on your list?"

"If I take on the job as acting CEO I want free hand in making changes. Otherwise I would just be a puppet and nobody would take me seriously."

"What changes are you talking about, Babe?"

"First off there will be no more mat time as punishment."

"But that system has proved itself as working over the years."

"It's like Bobby said earlier," Steph looked straight into Ranger's eyes. "He, Lester, Tank and you rule by instilling fear. That's not me. If one of the guys slips I need to be able to punish him myself. Sending him off so somebody else can do that for me would damage any respect the guys might feel toward me. Aside from that this whole procedure is a law-suit waiting to happen. A superior beating the shit out of his employees? Please! I didn't like it the first day I realized what happened when you call one of the men to the mats, but the more I think about it the less acceptable it is. You can't beat your subordinates. That's beyond the pale. As far as I know nobody ever beat you in the military for a task not well performed; running extra laps, doing push-ups, yes, but no beating. I'm sure there is a law against it and your men deserve more respect."

"Little girl, it's how we work. We…" Ranger lifting his hand silenced Tank.

"Babe. I agree that you need to be able to deal out punishments when necessary and that you calling any of the guys to the mats doesn't make sense. I see where you are going with this and I admit that our procedure might be questionable, even though it works. The moment you take over Rangeman it's your decision to change this, but keep in mind how these men work. They are constantly going to their limits, their bodies pumping with adrenaline. In these situations tempers are automatically rising and their thinking becomes limited. They function more on their intuition and automated reactions than on controlled thought processes. Mistakes happen in this condition and **have got to **be punished. Otherwise, there is a chance that the men spiral out of control. The same goes for smaller misdeeds. You have to punish them. A stitch in time saves nine and it will help the guys to fully respect you and take your commands serious. Whatever you decide to do with them, you will need to keep them on a tight leash. Are you aware of that?"

"Yes, Ranger, I am and I promise I will keep a tight control, but things need to change or otherwise I can't excel at this job."

The man on the bed nodded that he understood and turned his eyes to his men in the room. "You will support her in this in any way she needs it."

"Got it, bossman," the three men answered in unison.

"What else, Babe?"

"I want to appoint a few guys to client relations and give them social competency training. I have seen the difference between proposals and signed contracts. Rangeman needs guys that are trained to deal with new and existing clients, who can exude a trusting atmosphere and make them feel comfortable. If that works out there will be no stopping to Rangeman's growth."

"Good point, Babe. I support that completely."

"Furthermore I would like to appoint a leader in take-down teams. He will be responsible for the take-down and be the spokesperson of the team and deal with the police and any other bystanders. Aside from that he will also be the one to fill out the capture report. By giving him more responsibility the lead appointed man will hopefully strive for a better result. Plus, having just one person write a report will help Tank to keep a better overview over the take-down situation."

"Will you develop a new report system as you suggested the other day, Babe?"

"That's my plan. A complete new program with templates that will be electronically sent to Tank who can process them easily and create any abstract and spreadsheet from the information he needs."

"What do you say, Tank?" Ranger turned his head to his second in command.

"I say a new era is about to begin for Rangeman."

"Do you support her suggestions?"

"Yes, as long as she confers with us before changing anything."

"I will always do that, Tank," Steph pledged and everybody could see that she meant it. "I know I'm just a representative for Ranger and you, Bobby and Lester are equal partners. If I think something should be changed or added to the existing procedure, then I will discuss it with you and ask for your opinion and together we will come to a decision."

"Bobby? Lester?" Ranger turned to his other two partners.

They exchanged a quick look and then Bobby nodded. "We are in. If nothing else the future with Bomber in lead will be interesting."

"What about your car, Babe? As the CEO you can't drive around in a POS."

"I already have a corporate car; I accepted it at Christmas. Honestly I forgot about it but it should be delivered by now." Steph turned to Tank and looked at him questioningly.

"It's waiting for you in the spot right next to the elevator in our garage, Little Girl. A brilliant blue Buick Encore with all the works," Tank added when he saw Ranger's raised eyebrow.

"A Buick, Babe?" Ranger chuckled.

"What? It's cute and it has no similarities with Big Blue."

"You let her get away with Brilliant Blue?" Ranger turned his eyes to Tank.

"You wouldn't?"

"You got me there." Ranger smiled when Tank raised a single eyebrow at him. "Okay, Babe. Is there anything else on that napkin? Any other condition?"

"Not a condition, but a suggestion. I have seen the way Leroy interacts with Mark, he does remarkable with him and is devoted to his recovery. I asked him what he wants to do once his contract is over and he said that depended on how Mark is doing. He wants to be close to him and support him. You and I already discussed how we want to keep Mark close to us and make him a part of Rangeman. I would like to consider adding Leroy on staff after his service is up to help with the care of Mark. If he passes all background checks and physical requirements then we could use him on staff at Rangeman."

Ranger shared a long look with Tank where they apparently came to an understanding.

"We can't offer him a job without knowing his qualifications. When his contract comes to an end and he decides not to renew, then he should send a written application to the Trenton office and Tank will invite him for a job interview and some tests. After that it's a decision for the core team."

Steph nodded that she understood. "Thank you."

"You are welcome, Babe."

"I think this calls for some celebration." Lester smiled broadly and bounced on the balls of his feet. "How about this Beautiful: You, Bobby and I drive to the next town where there are some beautiful restaurants. We organize some delicious food, Champaign and Cider for the bossman and in the meantime Tank can add your conditions to your contract. We all meet back here, you put your signature at the right places and we have an impromptu party."

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_**That's it - the start of a new adventure. Steph is the acting CEO of Rangeman. I guess in the next chapter it is time for Ranger to fly back stateside and start his rehab. (thumbs up)**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Hey Babes, I know it took me a little longer this time but I'm a perfectionist and won't give you anything I'm not satisfied with. I hope you will enjoy this chapter and I want to thank you for all the wonderful reviews I got for the last one.**_

_**My beta is as always the wonderful WizardsWoman - thanks so much for your patient work with me, but this time I also want to take the time to thank Rainbow Severus who has helped me a few times when my personal Wonder Woman dared not to be available. Thank you to both of you ladies.**_

_**Dislaimer: The characters you regonize from the books belong to JE - Mark and Leroy are mine. :)**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 22**

Ranger sat on the bench in the shower and let the hot water wash away the sweat from the two hours physical therapy he had just finished. His physical therapist wasn't going easy on him, but he appreciated it. He wanted to excel at this, wanted to show fate his middle finger, and for that he needed to be challenged. Soaping up his body, paying thorough attention to the amputation stumps on his legs, Ranger enjoyed the clean feeling that ensued.

Twenty minutes later, freshly showered and shaved, he rolled down the hall toward his room where he saw a young man of twenty-six or perhaps twenty-seven knocking at his door.

"Are you looking for me?"

Immediately, the young man jumped to attention and saluted in front of Ranger. "Corporal Leroy Martin, sir. It's an honor to meet you."

"Corporal Martin," Ranger nodded as he regarded him. "At ease, soldier. Steph has told me about you. Is there anything I can do for you?

"If you don't mind, sir, I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes."

Acknowledging the young man's request with a curt nod, Ranger pushed his wheelchair to the door and opened it. "Come in; I'll be with you in a moment."

He wasn't in the mood for company, but it was his last day at Ramstein. Whatever was on Corporal Martin's mind, today was their last chance to talk because after lunch he and several other wounded soldiers would be flown to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. As he rolled into his room and straight to the closet, Leroy followed him and decided to stand at parade rest at the end of the bed. He wasn't sure about etiquette in this case, but the man in the wheelchair was a hero and role model for him and every Army Ranger out there and he wanted to make sure to pay him the respect he deserved.

"Okay," Ranger turned around after putting his dirty clothes in the hamper. "How about we sit down at the table by the windows? If you pull one of the chairs out of the way I can roll over there."

Doing as he was told, Leroy waited for the famous Captain Mañoso to get comfortable before he seated himself.

"Sir, I'm here because I want to thank you in person for bringing Corporal Kaminski back. Mark is my best friend: neither of us has any relatives, so we are the only family for each other. His loss would have been hard on me, no, more than that; it would have shaken me to my very foundations. Because of you I have a chance to be there for him and help him through the struggles ahead and for that I'm infinitely grateful."

"He may never become his old self again." Ranger warned, wanting to limit any exaggerated expectations.

"I'm aware of that, sir, and it doesn't matter. Mark is a great person and an even better friend. Whatever he will achieve during his rehab, I will have his back."

Ranger nodded that he understood. "Steph is impressed by you and the way you treat Kaminski. She told me that you more or less immediately had a good rapport with him. I trust Steph's judgement unconditionally. She has told you that we want to offer Mark a life with us once he's recuperated enough to leave rehab? He will have an own apartment within the Rangeman building, a job that will match his skills and Steph and my support whenever he needs it. Should he not be capable of living on his own, we will make sure that we find him the best possible facility tending to his special needs. Whatever it is that he requires he will get."

Leroy hesitated for a moment, not sure how to express what was going through his mind. He was thankful for everything Steph had done so far, but he needed to make sure that they understood that he was back now and Mark was his first priority.

"Steph mentioned something like that and don't get me wrong I'm grateful for what you want to do for Mark, but I also plan to play a major part in his life. After all I am his next of kin and I see it as my duty that things happen according to Mark's wishes. No matter how far he recuperates, this is about his life and he should be asked first. If it is his wish to stay with Stephanie and you then I won't interfere, but I won't stand idly by while you take over his life."

Ranger drilled his eyes into Leroy who held his glare without backing down. When he realized that the young man in front of him wouldn't waver, he let a small smile tug at his lips.

"You didn't falter under my glare. I like that. Kaminski will need all the support he can get and strong people at his side who stand up for him. I can see you doing that."

Leroy cocked an eyebrow and scrutinized the man in front of him. "This was a test?"

"Yes... You may be his next of kin, but as long as we aren't debriefed I am his Commanding Officer who is responsible for the condition he is in. I take this responsibility very serious and it goes without saying that I will support each member of my team beyond this mission, especially since we are all injured and disabled to different degrees. Thanks to my company and the money that comes with it I have the opportunity to offer jobs and places to live and I know that Steph has talked to you about sending in an application for a job to my Trenton office to be close to Mark. So instead of getting into a pissing contest about who can offer Mark the better care, we should work together to ensure that he has the chance to live a happy and satisfying life."

"Yes, sir." Leroy held Ranger's gaze to make sure there was no doubt about his sincerity. "May I speak openly, sir?"

Ranger motioned for him to continue.

"I didn't mean to get into a pissing contest with you as you called it. I know you have means to help Mark that are beyond anything I could offer him and his love for Steph is obvious. There are no words for how grateful I am for everything she has done for him so far. All I want to ensure is that every decision is made in Mark's best interest and that I can continue to be a fixed part in his life. I won't accept anything less. My contract is up in three months and I will definitely be thinking about your job offer. Before I knew about your involvement I made plans for Mark to live with me if possible, but as said, I want the best for him and that isn't necessarily tying him to me."

Nodding that he had understood, Ranger straightened up in his chair and rubbed his right stump that had started to throb while he was talking with Leroy.

"I'm sure we will find a way that is in Mark's best interest and makes everyone happy. If you will excuse me now, Steph is due any moment."

Ranger pushed his wheelchair back and Leroy jumped up and saluted a little surprised by the sudden dismissal. He wanted to ask for more details about the position at Rangeman, but decided that obviously it was not the right time to pursue any particulars.

"Thank you for taking my concerns serious, sir."

Ranger nodded in understanding and turned his wheelchair to retrieve the needed supplies for his stumps that he had left unattended after his shower. The physical therapy had tired him out and he should have lain down immediately after coming back from the shower. The pain that was burning up his right thigh was getting more and more excruciating by the minute. He needed the Corporal to walk out of the room stat so he could take care of everything before Steph would come.

Realizing that the conversation was over, Leroy turned to leave as there was a short knock at the door and Stephanie peeked her head in. So much for taking care of things while he was still alone. Taking a deep breath, Ranger heard the two greet each other and arrange a meeting for later, then it was finally just him, well, him and Steph.

"Babe." He turned his wheelchair around and looked at her with his blank face firmly in place. Why couldn't she have come half an hour later? He wanted, no, needed to be alone for a while. It wasn't fair to her, but he was in a bad mood.

"Hey," Stephanie regarded him for a moment. "Something is wrong. You are looking exhausted." Taking in the compression stockings and the salve in his lap she ventured a guess. "You have neglected your legs after PT because Leroy was here and now you are in pain?"

How could his Babe read him so good even though he was hiding behind a blank expression? That hit a sore spot and it displeased him that he wasn't able to shut her out.

"Would you mind to get us some coffee from the cafeteria so I can tend to my legs?" He asked, trying to sound as polite as possible though a diffuse anger was coursing through him at the moment.

"Carlos, talk to me. Don't shut me out. We were past that point, remember?"

Hearing his birth name made him wince internally. Once more she was right. He had promised to be open and not to hide. Slowly, the blankness crumbled away and exhaustion took over his face. "I'm sorry, Babe. You are right, I'm in pain and it's my own fault. I thought I could fix things before you got here."

"Fix them now, the sooner the better, and then lay down for a while. I will help you in any way I can." Seeing the indecision on his face, Steph furrowed her brow. "What's the problem, Carlos? I've seen your necrotic and festering legs before the amputation and I have seen your stumps in different states of healing after the surgery. Why are you suddenly shying away from having me around?"

"Babe."

"No, don't hide. Tell me openly what's going on and together we will find a solution."

Sighing and closing his eyes for a moment as the pain increased, he finally looked up.

"Today is not a good day, Babe. When I woke up I felt depressed. Now I feel beat. I should have lain down right after I came back, but I didn't. I didn't want to come across as weak in front of your new friend. Instead I wanted to be in charge and leave no doubt who the stronger, more powerful person was in the room. It was stupid and cost me and I feel embarrassed by my behavior. Leroy's strong appearance just reminded me of everything I've lost and I couldn't deal with it. I want to be alone to take care of my stumps so I don't have another witness of my shortcomings."

Regarding the man in front of her for a moment, Steph finally stepped closer and squatted down, resting her hands on the arms of his wheelchair. She wanted to comfort him, to rub his thighs, but since he was already in pain she refrained from that.

"You have no shortcomings, do you hear me? You are still a strong and intimidating man. I told you before and I will tell you as long as you need to hear it, strength and superiority don't come with two working legs; they come with the right mindset. Now I will give you some space and get us something nice from the cafeteria. I respect your wishes; I just want you to be open with me." Straightening up she pressed a quick kiss on his lips and was out of the door before Ranger could react.

He was so lucky that he had Stephanie by his side. She was his pillar of strength, his calm anchor and no matter what, he knew that she had his back. Putting the stockings and salve on the bed, he maneuvered himself up on the mattress and started the process of tending to his legs. First he massaged the salve into the sutures of his stumps to help keeping the tissue soft and then he lay down so it would get absorbed and do its work. He was in the process of dozing off when there was a short knock at the door and Steph stepped in with a tray holding two mugs of coffee and a bowl of porridge with an apple at the side.

"Hey, did I wake you up?"

"Yes, but I'm thankful. I still have to put the stockings on and I want to spend the last few hours that we have together awake."

With a smile, Steph sat the tray down at the end of the bed. "Me, too. I hoped for some snuggle time. Do you need help with that?" She pointed at the compression stockings in his hands, but Ranger shook his head no.

"I got that." And with practice he pulled them over his stumps.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"And you are sure that you don't want me to accompany you?" Steph asked two hours later as she lay in Ranger's arms with her head on his chest.

"Yes, Babe. We talked about this. I feel the need to do this alone, to prove to myself that I'm indeed independent. My life is changing; I am changing. I start to wish for things that weren't possible before, like a someday for us for example. But before that can happen I need to be sure that I am self-sufficient and independent from you and for you. That's the only way a someday with us would stand a chance."

"I like talking about someday," Steph whispered as she listened to the beating of his heart. He still needed the anti-arrhythmic agent, but there hadn't been an episode in two weeks. That gave them hope. "But the thought of not seeing you makes me sad."

"I didn't say that I don't want to see you. Would you come visit me once per month if the workload at the office allows it?"

Lifting her head and smiling at him her own version of a two hundred watt smile, Steph leaned up and pressed a soft kiss onto his lips. "Try to stop me."

Ranger looked into the deep blue of her eyes and felt the sparks flying between them. Ever so slowly he got closer to Steph's face and enjoyed her eyes widening in surprise. When he was merely a fracture of an inch away from her, he pressed his mouth onto her pillow-soft lips and smiled as her moan filled the room. Her mouth opened immediately and his tongue plunged into the warmth and caressed hers with love. When another moan, this time a lot louder, could be heard, things clicked into place in his mind and he pulled slightly back and pressed some feathery kisses on her mouth, cheeks, nose and finally her brow.

"We need to stop, Babe."

"Why? It's wonderful."

"Yes, it is and it makes me forget about my plans. I want to be better before we do this again."

Steph pulled her bottom lip between her lips and swallowed her frustration before eventually smiling at him with mischief. "Then take this as a promise of all the wonderful things you will miss while you decide to tackle your battles alone."

A knock at the door got in their way before Ranger could throw back a quick-witted remark, but the smile he had on his face when he called enter made Stephanie's heart flutter in her chest.

"Captain," the nurse that slipped into the room said friendly. "It's time that we start prepping you for your flight back stateside. Are you excited to go back home?"

"It won't be home, but I'm looking forward to the therapy and prostheses that hopefully will soon come. I am ready to get my life back."

"I can imagine, Captain. Have faith and patience and everything will turn out okay. Do you want to stay, Stephanie? It can take some time."

"I won't leave his side until he is rolled out of this building." Stephanie emphasized, getting a loving smile from Carlos in return. She had his back, no matter what, and he would miss her terribly.

The nurse couldn't help but smile at Steph's comment. Everybody knew the two were inseparable and everything else would have surprised her. "Okay then, let's get this show on the road, you have a plane to catch Captain."

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_**On a last note: I'm not sure about the next chapter... shall it be about Mark still being at Ramstein and getting ready for his flight back stateside or shall I jump over that and continue with him being already at his destination? What would you prefer? A bit more detail or a jump forward?  
**_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Hey Babes, sorry this update took so long, but I'm suffering a major writer's block. Most of the time I just sit in front of an empty page and could thunk my head on my keyboard because nothing comes to mind. That's the reason why this chapter is so supershort. Someone told me to better update something small than nothing at all, so here you go.**_

_**As all of you wished I made a jump forward in time and I liked one of the reviewers suggestion to take a look into Mark's mind so I tried to do that.**_

_**Bear with me and leave me some love at the end. I'm in serious need of some motivating reviews.**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 23**

**A month later, Kaminski's POV**

_Hey there, I can see you_, I thought as my eyes followed the fly scrabbling over my blanket. I knew what a fly was. Steph had shown me a flash card and repeated the word over and over the last time she was here. She always taught me new words and then helped me to find a picture in my mind. It was tiring, but I loved it when she smiled. That meant she was happy and that made me happy and gave me a funny feeling in my stomach. Steph always said she loved me. I'm not sure what that meant, but if it had anything to do with the warm, tingly feelings I had when she was here then I loved her, too. A tear trickled down my cheek as I thought of Steph. She was gone and I felt... awful. One day she was here and I could feel her sadness so I hugged her and smiled at her to make her feel better, but then she left and didn't come back. I didn't understand why? She put something on my bedside table with lots of scribbles on it and drew a big circle around one of the scribbles, but I didn't understand what that meant.

The fly flew away and I let my eyes wander around my room. It was all the same but nonetheless I found something new and intriguing every time I looked around. Right now it was the curtains at the window; their blue color looked beautiful and I imagined colorful fish swimming in the ocean like on one of the other pictures Steph had shown me. By now I knew blue, red, yellow and green. A big sigh left my lungs when I thought of Steph, but before I could get lost in my mind a loud noise outside my room made me turn my head. There were angry voices and I quickly looked away. I disliked angry voices. Angry voices meant angry people and those gave me a bad headache and made me hurt. It was like they sucked all energy right out of me. Blocking out the turmoil outside my room I thought of Steph again. Steph was yellow; she was warm and soft and gave me tingles like the sunshine streaming through my window, and Leroy was blue like the ocean. Everything about him was calm. He had shown me a video of him in a pool. Hard to say what was more fascinating; the moving pictures on the little screen or seeing him swim like a fish. I felt good when he was near, but he, too, was no longer here. The only two people I knew had vanished from my life.

The fly was back on my sheets and I watched it for a moment feeling alone. Right now I wasn't happy. There was no tingle and nothing warm or calm in me. Nothing could hold my interest and I just wanted to sleep. I didn't want to see anybody and didn't want to work with the therapists. That made some of the people outside my room angry. They came in buzzing with negative energy and all I wanted was to be left alone. A short, powerful knock at the door made me look up and immediately turn away when it opened.

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_**I know it's not much, but I hope you like it nonetheless. Next chapter will start with Stephanie in Trenton given that the writer's block will dissolve. I will try my very best.**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hey Babes, here is the next chapter. Thanks so much for all your reviews, they really pushed me through my writer's block. Not that I'm healed and the ideas are flowing freely, but without your support it would have been so much harder.**_

_**Last chapter I forgot to shout out my special thanks to Claudette and Karen for sharing their experiences with me regarding family members suffering a traumatic brain injury. Thanks so much, ladies. Everything Mark will experience in this story is based on what you told me. **_

_**Now let's see whether this chapter will delight you as well. **_

_**Disclaimer is the same as always: I have fun playing with them, but the characters belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

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**The second chance**

**Chapter 24**

**Rangeman, Trenton, Steph's office**

Looking up from the papers in front of her, Steph smiled when Tank, Lester and Bobby stepped into her office, each one of them carrying a stack of files.

"Beautiful, Beautiful," Lester put his files down on one of the guest chairs, stepped around the massive mahogany table and pulled Steph into his arms, completely lifting her off the floor. "Every time I see you in your corporate attire it makes my heart miss a beat."

Pulling the skirt and blazer of her business suit back in place after Lester had sat her down, Steph smiled up at him and pressed a kiss on his cheek before hugging Bobby and Tank.

"You guys are such dorks. We haven't seen each other for what… twelve hours… and you greet me like it has been weeks."

"We've missed you, Beautiful. That's all. After you being away for months we have to make sure that you know how much we love to have you around," Lester grinned impishly.

Shaking her head with a smile, Steph sat back down and reached for her phone.

"Zero… Tank, Lester, Bobby and I are in a meeting. No phone calls except for bloodshed, explosions and arrests."

After hearing Zero's confirmation, Steph placed the receiver back into its cradle and turned towards the men in her office. Their faces were relaxed and they all seemed to be in a good mood; she was glad. They really made an effort to leave their blank faces outside her office when they entered. Just as she was about to address them, the vibration of her cell phone made her turn her head and smile when she read the caller ID.

"Hey Batman, what's shaking?"

"Babe, how often do I have to tell you that I'm not Batman," Ranger answered with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Sure you are. You always wear black, you have several black Batmobiles and a Batcave, you never quit in face of a challenge, you fight the bad and protect the good and you can come and vanish like smoke. When will **you** finally admit to it?"

At the other end of the line Ranger shook his head and chuckled. He loved bantering with her; it always brought a smile to his face.

"What are you up to, Babe? Am I interrupting you while you enchant another one of my clients?"

"Nope, I was just about to start the weekly meeting with Bobby, Lester and Tank. Shall I put you on speakerphone?"

"No, thanks, not now. I just wanted to hear your voice and thought I'd have a few minutes with you, but I see my physical therapist making a beeline for me. It's time for another two hours in hell."

"Be strong, Batman, and don't worry. I have everything under control."

Shaking her head, Steph heard him hanging up so she in turn disconnected, too, and placed the cell phone back on her desk.

"How is the bossman?" Tank asked from his perch on the massive leather couch.

"He didn't tell me anything specific, but seemed to be in good mood. I will call him tonight and ask for some details. Now back to business, who wants to start?" She questioningly looked around and saw Bobby straightening up and opening the file on top of his stack.

"I've noticed an increase in injuries over the past weeks that worries me. We can't do anything about the knife or gunshot wounds; they come with the job. But there have been several accidents that I'm not happy about," Bobby furrowed his brow as he leafed through the pages in front of him. "Just the past five days Zero, Fred and Junior pulled muscles, Ram twisted his knee and Brett has a sprained ankle. Those are all unnecessary injuries that most probably could have been prevented if the men's bodies were more flexible. Altogether we have eleven guys off field work at the moment and are running short of men… again."

"So how can we make them more flexible?" In Steph's mind she saw her Merry Men doing gymnastic exercises wearing leotards and she had to concentrate hard not to laugh out loud.

"I don't know. I emphasize again and again how important the stretching is before and after their training sessions, but it doesn't seem to be enough."

"How about we try mandatory yoga classes for a while and see whether that makes a difference?"

"Beautiful." Lester laughed and shook his head. "That is women stuff."

"I agree with Lester, Little Girl. I don't see the men voluntarily doing something like yoga."

"That's why it is mandatory, Tank. I know yoga isn't something that matches your big, tough Army guy images, but it works wonder on the flexibility and helps to unwind. I suggest we hire a private trainer to come here several times per week and see how it works. Three months should be enough to see results. If the men realize the good it does for their bodies, then they will perhaps come around and appreciate this new activity."

Steph looked at the doubtful faces in front of her.

"Come on, guys… there's nothing to lose, but a lot to win. Who votes against it?"

She gave them a moment to make up their mind, but when no one lifted his hand Steph smiled.

For good order's sake she asked, "Who votes for it?" and couldn't help but laugh when Lester smiled brightly and eagerly pushed his hand in the air.

"You are aware that you have to take the lesson, too, Les? The management has to act as an example."

That took care of the stupid grin on his face.

The rest of the meeting passed by in a blur. Bobby had to prepare the quarterlies and wanted new medical equipment which was unanimously approved. After that they discussed the new accounts they had landed and agreed that the clients loved Steph and her coming on as CEO was a true success for Rangeman. Then they went on to past apprehensions and outstanding skips. There's been a little progress with the paperwork since each apprehension team had an appointed leader, but Tank was still struggling with the lack of unity between the reports and Steph promised to put some pressure on the company that was assigned with the development of the new software. And whether they liked it or not they had to minimize the skips they accepted as long as they were so short-staffed. Everybody agreed that Rangeman was growing, but they desperately needed to hire new men if they wanted to keep up with the outstanding work, let alone really max out the company's potential. The coming week they had planned to implement Steph's undertaking of giving some of the guys a sensitivity training and making them work for client relations, but with the scarce staff they had right now that would probably have to wait.

Two hours later Steph was sitting alone in her office looking over a security quotation for a potential new client she'd meet in an hour, when her phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Rangeman, Stephanie Plum speaking. How may I help you?"

"Steph, this is Leroy. Can you hear me?"

In the background loud cannon fire and explosions could be heard.

"Leroy," Steph hollered into the receiver. "Where are you? Is that gunfire?"

"Sorry, I'm at a military training area for live ammo fire. Give me a minute; I will try to find somewhere quieter."

There was a moment where she could hear Leroy's breathing mixing with the noise and then it became silent.

"Are you still there, Steph?"

"Yes, I'm here. What happened? Is everything alright?"

Leroy didn't call while he was on the job; their phone calls happened in the evenings when he was at home and Steph was mostly still in the office.

"Mark's doctor called me. Our boy isn't well. He refuses to eat and to interact with anybody. Whenever someone steps into his room, he turns his back to them and stares straight ahead. The doctor is concerned. Today they put him back on a feeding tube. He emphasized that Mark is losing valuable time and asked whether one of us could come to DC to see him and discuss options. I already talked to my supervisor and I won't get permission to leave Fort Bragg. Is there a chance you could take a day off and either drive or fly to DC?"

"Sure, anything for Mark. I will see whether I can take Bobby with me for the medical stuff. Do you want to call the doctor back or shall I contact him?"

"I will call him and tell him that you are coming on my behalf so there won't be any problems with medical confidentiality. I think it would be wise to inform him when exactly you will be there so he will be available."

"Leroy, I'll do that, don't worry. What if he says that a transfer to another hospital would be advisable?"

"Then we will find a place for Mark that can help him better, but first we need to know what the problem is. We were told that Walter Reed is the best address there is. Do you still believe that, Steph?"

"Yes, I do, and you are right. We will cross that bridge when we come to it." Steph leaned back in her comfortable leather chair and closed her eyes. "I knew it would be wrong to leave him alone for so long."

"Don't do that, Steph. We both have jobs that need us elsewhere. It was clear from the beginning that we would have to leave Mark."

"I know, but my motherly instincts told me back then that it was a bad idea and they are screaming at me now."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

It had been a long gruesome day of therapy when Ranger rolled in his wheelchair back to his room after dinner. Half past six, he couldn't wait to call his Babe and continue their talk from this morning. Once he had closed the door behind him, he rolled over to the armchair in the corner by the window and maneuvered himself over. Automatically, his eyes fell on the framed picture of a lion with a scarred face at the opposite wall. Below the picture stood

_Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you._

It was signed with _~ Unknown_ and it held so much truth. He couldn't wait for his Babe to see it. She had blossomed ever since she had taken over his position as CEO, but the self-doubts where still there deep within her. She needed to understand that everything that had happened in the past had just made her stronger. Taking his cell from the pocket of his cargo shorts he pressed speed dial one and impatiently waited for her to answer his call.

"Hey Carlos, how are you?"

Ranger couldn't help but smile. She had started calling him Carlos when they talked in private and he loved it. "I'm fine, Babe, but you sound tired. Are you still in the office?"

"Yeah, there's so much paperwork to do and I won't be in Trenton tomorrow so I want to handle as much of it as I can today."

"Where will you be tomorrow?"

"Leroy called. Mark is withdrawing. He isn't eating and is no longer interacting with anyone. The doctor is concerned and asked for one of us to come and Leroy didn't get permission to leave Fort Bragg so I will go and take Bobby with me. We have everything planned; we'll meet in the garage at the crack of dawn, drive down to DC, and talk with the Doctor and Mark. Then will go from there."

"Why don't you take the Jet?"

"Because this is private and not business. I won't misuse the Rangeman Jet for my private endeavors."

"Babe."

"What?"

"The Jet is yours to take whenever you need it. That's why we have it. Don't fight me on this. You need to save every ounce of strength you have for the challenges you face. There's no need to stress yourself with a three hour ride when it can be avoided. Call Bobby and tell him to organize everything with the pilot. That way you can sleep a little longer."

Not in the mood to argue and internally pleased with the prospect of more sleep, Steph agreed easily. "Enough of me, tell me about you," she interrupted when Ranger wanted to continue talking about her.

"As said, Babe, I'm fine."

"Oh no, you don't Mister. I can hear your exhaustion and my spidey sense tells me something's bothering you."

For a moment, the line went silent, but just when Steph wondered what was going on she could hear Ranger taking a deep breath.

"You know they are fitting me for my prostheses?"

"Yes, you were happy about that."

"I am, don't get me wrong, but… I didn't know they would be short prosthetic legs also called stubbies."

"What do you mean?"

"They don't have a knee joint, just a stiff rod with a training foot at the end. The one for my left leg is only a few inches long. When I stand on them I'm the size of a midget. That's frustrating and humiliating, but the legs stabilize balance and reduce the risk of injury from falling and believe me I fall **a lot**."

"Did they say anything about how long you will have to use those stubbies?"

"A few months; they will gradually lengthen them until I'm at normal height. The moment I'm proficient and comfortable they will be exchanged for normal prostheses with knee and foot joints and the training starts anew. At least that's what I was told."

"And they have no reason to lie to you, Carlos. If they say it's temporary, then it **is** temporary."

Hearing Ranger letting go of a big sigh, Steph knew she needed to say something else to brighten his mood.

"I can't wait for the next weekend. The hotel is booked and we will have two wonderful days together. I've missed you so much since we parted in Germany. Perhaps you feel up to show off your new walking skills and if not we will find something nice to do outside the hospital to get your mind off things. What do you say, Carlos?"

"Sounds wonderful, Babe. I can't wait to see you again. I have to admit for some reason I don't understand I'm nervous, but I came up with some good ideas to show you the town."

"Don't be nervous, Carlos. It's just little old me. We will have a wonderful time even if we should spend it entirely in your room."

They continued to talk for another half hour before they said goodbye with Ranger in a much better mood than before. After calling Bobby and telling him about Ranger's order to take the plane, Steph went back to work. She needed to finish this sales overview before she'd fly to DC tomorrow. Then she'd have several appointments with clients the following days before leaving for San Antonio Friday evening.

_One step after the other, good air in, bad air out, _she thought. All these new responsibilities were starting to suffocate her, but in the back of her mind she knew: Tomorrow was a new day, a new start, better rested and with a clear head.

* * *

_**I hope you liked it. Please leave a review and I will do my best with the next chapter. Right now I'm not sure whether I will start with Steph and Bobby's trip to DC or whether I will jump forward to Steph meeting Ranger. We'll see.  
**_


	25. Chapter 25

_**Babes, are you ready for some happy ? ? ?  
**_

**_Special thanks to WizardsWoman for sticking to me, guiding me through my writer's block and taking care of the errors and mispellings I make! And of course to everyone who took the time to leave a review for the last chapter.  
_**

**_You all rock ! ! !_  
**

**_Disclaimer: I wish I could make, but I don't. The characters known from the books belong to JE._**

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 25**

**San Antonio International Airport, nine PM**

Steph stepped out of the Gulfstream into the cool night air and took in the lights and noise of the airport. The whole week she had waited for this moment that she would finally touch ground in San Antonio. Ranger was here and her body was filled with excitement. Six weeks had passed since he was brought back stateside and his attitude towards his new life had changed as his healing process took effect and goals were met.

"Are you ready to go, Little Girl?"

Turning around she looked at the huge black man filling the doorframe behind her and nodded to him.

"Yes, Tank, I'm so ready I could jump in the air and do cartwheels."

"You will see him tomorrow morning," Tank smiled one of his rare smiles. "I'm sure he's as anxious to see you as you are to finally reunite with him."

Steph stepped onto the tarmac and took a deep breath. A thrill of anticipation coursed through her veins and made her body prickle as she stood there and waited for Tank to join her with their luggage.

"The SUV is waiting for us, Little Girl. How about we drive to the hotel, have a little bite to eat and some drinks before we say goodnight? Tomorrow morning you will drive me to my relatives and then you have the car all to yourself to explore the city with Ranger.

The drive to the hotel was uneventful and soon enough Tank and Steph sat in the hotel's restaurant with a little snack and wine and talked about their plans for the weekend. Steph had been so anxious to see Ranger, she doubted she would get a wink of sleep, but soon enough Tank's deep soothing voice and the two glasses of wine took effect and she realized she was tired and it was time to go to her room. Tomorrow she would finally see Ranger again; she couldn't wait to hug him and feel his warmth spread through her body.

_I'm showered and lying in a comfy bed and thought to send you a quick text to let you know I'm safe in my room. Tank is next door; nothing can happen to me. Have a good night Batman. I'll see you tomorrow. _

Steph put her cell phone on the nightstand next to the bed, took a deep breath and relaxed into the mattress. Sleep claimed her quickly and within a few minutes she was so fast asleep that she never heard the ding of the incoming text.

_Sleep well my Wonder Woman; feel loved and protected. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Xoxo_

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

The next morning, Steph drove Tank to his aunt and uncle and then let the navigation device guide her to the San Antonio Military Medical Center. The complex was huge and of course she didn't find a parking space near the building Ranger was staying in; stupid parking karma. Twenty minutes later, she finally entered the building across the street from the Center for the Intrepid and curiously looked around. There was quite a bit of traffic at the reception area, seemed as though a lot of relatives and friends wanted to visit loved ones. Not caring for the crowd, Steph walked over to the elevator when a well-known voice made her stop mid-step.

"Babe."

Steph wheeled around and clapped her hands over her mouth when she saw Ranger rolling toward her.

"Carlos!" With a few strides she closed the distance between them and leaned down to hug him which admittedly felt a little awkward because she wished for so much more.

"That's not what I want, Babe. Straddle my lap."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't… promise."

Biting her lower lip, Steph did as she was told and straddled Ranger's lap so that her legs hung over the armrests on each side of him.

"Better?" She asked him with a smile playing around her lips.

"Better, but we are still not there, Babe."

Ever so softly he cupped her cheeks and moved his mouth closer to hers until their lips touched in the sweetest of kisses.

"Better now?" Steph smiled broadly.

"Better, but still not there, Babe." Ranger's lips tilted up a little. Wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her so tight against his chest that they touched groin to neck, he finally sighed and Steph could feel his tense muscles relax. "Now, that's perfect," he mumbled into her hair followed by a soft kiss.

"I agree, this feels wonderful," Steph sighed and let all her anticipation flow from her body. "Finally, it's been way too long."

They sat like that for about ten minutes, Ranger rubbing slowly up and down her back, when the noises around them finally brought them back to the present.

"So what have you come up with for today, Batman? We have a roomy SUV at our disposal."

"If you agree, we'll first drive to the rose gardens on the other side of town. They are beautiful and we can sit there, smell the roses and just talk for a while. There's also a very nice handicapped accessible restaurant where we can have lunch later."

"That sounds wonderful, but I didn't take you as a rose kinda guy plus you aren't exactly talkative. What brings this on?"

"My abuela always had a wonderful rose garden and I feel like refreshing some of those old memories. Aside from that, a day with you roaming between fragrant roses sounds about perfect. You will see I have changed some since I've left Germany; reorganizing priorities and all that."

Steph smiled big, moved off his lap and waited for Ranger to loosen the breaks on the wheelchair. "Then let's get started. We have to walk for a while because of course I didn't have any good parking karma and had to park next to a row of stinky dumpsters on the other side of the complex."

Ranger chuckled and followed her out of the building. "Babe, only you."

A couple hours later they had strolled through some of the gardens and found themselves a beautiful place to sit surrounded by some of the most gorgeous rose bushes Steph had ever seen. It was a place of solitude and they sat next to each other, Ranger in his wheelchair, Steph on a wooden bench, eyes closed, as they listened to the birds and took in the wonderful fragrance of the roses.

"Tell me about your visit with Mark." Ranger finally interrupted the comfortable silence between them.

"It was heartbreaking." Steph sighed and turned her head to look at him. "Before Bobby and I could go and see him, we met with his head doctor to discuss the situation."

_Flashback_

"_Stephanie, it's a pleasure to see you again though I wished it was under different circumstances."_

"_Thank you doctor. May I introduce you to a friend, Bobby Brown. He is Rangeman's medic and I asked him to accompany me for counseling and to translate any medical terms to me." _

"_Mr. Brown," the doctor nodded friendly. "Let's take a seat so I can tell you where we stand." _

_After Steph and Bobby had sat down in front of the doctor's huge cherry desk, he started without delay._

"_I will get right to the point. We've made a huge step backwards in Mark's treatment and I'm no longer sure this is the right rehab facility for him. A week after you left, Stephanie, he started to pull back. At first the therapists were able to tickle some cooperation out of him, but it got harder with every passing day. He soon started to refuse any collaboration, turned away whenever someone approached him, and for the last few days he declined to eat so that we had to put him back on a feeding tube. As I told you and Leroy time is of essence in Mark's treatment. The first two months are crucial for his recovery and every day that he continues to be so withdrawn means he is losing valuable time. Apparently, he's very dependent on your or Leroy's presence and after consultation with my colleagues I suggest moving him to a rehab facility closer to either one of you so that you could regularly visit him and by that keep him going."_

"_But what about this being the best address there is for soldiers with this kind of injury?" Bobby asked. "I did some research myself and you are leading in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries."_

"_I agree, we have outstanding possibilities here because of our expansive knowledge with this kind of injuries and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence that we house, but all this expertise doesn't do any good if the patient isn't ready to accept the challenge and work with us. I rather have Mark in another facility where he does his best and improves every day than having him vegetate here. In addition we are not out of the world. I would personally be on call for his new doctors whenever they need my expertise. If you agree to move Mark to somewhere else, we won't close the doors behind him and forget about him."_

"_That sounds like your mind is set?" Stephanie regarded the doctor closely._

"_In the end it's your or more precisely Leroy's decision, but with the best in mind for Mark this seems to be the only logical conclusion."_

_End of flashback_

"When Bobby and I entered Mark's room you should have seen him," Steph continued to tell Ranger. "I saw him automatically turning away when he must have recognized me from the corner of his eye. His head flew around and he simultaneously started to cry and to rock himself as he sobbed and croaked and made other guttural sounds. I hurried to his bed and wrapped him up in my arms and he held me so close that he nearly crushed me while being all in tears. I don't know how long he clung to me, but when his grip finally loosened we were alone in his room."

"How did you feel with his response to you?" Ranger asked when Steph became silent for a moment.

"Overwhelmed. I never had someone so depending on me, but once the first shock wore off I felt like a protective mother bear with her cub. I could have ripped the nurses a new one for not continuing to mark off the days on the calendar on Mark's bedside table."

"What do you mean?"

"I put a calendar on Mark's bedside table, circled the day I would come back and instructed the nurses to cross off every day that passed so that Mark hopefully understood that on the circled day I would be back. They didn't do it. I was so angry with them."

"What about Bobby? Did he meet Mark?"

"Yes, after the all-consuming welcome from Mark, Bobby retreated to give us some space and started his research for rehab facilities both near Fort Bragg and near Trenton. With his results he went back to discuss them with the doctor before joining us in Mark's room in the afternoon. The two got along well. Mark accepted Bobby, even let him feed him some jello."

"That's good. He needs to learn to accept other people in his life. So what place did Leroy decide for?"

"The facility's name is Birch Wood Rehab in Philadelphia. That makes it about 35 miles from Rangeman. If the traffic is in my favor I can reach it in 40 minutes. They are rather new and specialize in patients recuperating from stroke and traumatic brain injuries with doctors and therapists who are full of determination and enthusiasm. Since they opened about two years ago they have gained an excellent reputation and are willing to collaborate with Mark's doctor and therapists at Walter Reed. After Bobby gave me his search results I called Leroy and we decided that Philadelphia was the best choice. The few facilities in the vicinity of Fort Bragg were all mediocre and not as up-to-date as the one in Philly plus the doctors didn't seem to be open to work with the people at Walter Reed. Mark was moved twenty-four hours later and I visited with him the past two days. This weekend Bobby offered to drive to Birch Wood and take care that Mark eats and does his exercises. We talked to the doctors and therapists there and agreed to try to catch up the time and opportunities Mark has missed."

"Babe, I worry that you are spreading yourself too thin. You work fourteen hour days for Rangeman seven days a week and now in addition you want to visit with Mark every day. As much as I love that you are taking care of him, that's too much. You have to take care of yourself or you will crumble under the workload and responsibilities."

Steph reached for Ranger's hand and squeezed it lovingly. "Don't worry, Carlos. Mark's head doctor, therapists and I already made a plan to slowly wean Mark of my presence. I will go there daily for the next two weeks and bring somebody else whenever possible, then I will stretch my visits to every other day with somebody else coming whenever I'm not there. From there on we will stretch it to every third day and so on. I will explain the situation to the guys at the Monday morning meeting and ask for volunteers who are willing to help me in their free-time."

"No, let them do it during their working hours. That's the least we can do to repay them for the trouble."

"I know, but that's not possible at the moment. We are so short of men that we need all hands on deck. I will make sure they know how appreciated their help would be, but that it really is voluntary and nobody will say anything if they decide against it."

Nodding that he understood, Ranger rubbed soft circles on the back of Stephanie's hand and watched her for a while. She was beautiful. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, the knee-long dress she was wearing accentuated her curves and the smile that toyed on her face filled his heart with longing. He couldn't wait any longer. This wouldn't go the way he had planned it but to hell with his plans, it was time to live.

"Come over here, Babe." Ranger tugged at Steph's hand and pulled her off the bench and over to him. When she straddled him once more he took her hands in his, rubbed their back and thought about how to tell her what occupied his mind.

"Babe… Steph… I didn't plan to do this now, but as I'm learning sometimes it's important to forget about all the plans I've made and just jump into the deep end… From the moment I saw you this morning to now I enjoyed every minute with you like I have never enjoyed anything before. I thought I loved you before that last mission changed everything, but those feelings back then can't compare to what I feel now. Things have changed, I have changed. Losing my legs has changed the way I think and feel. There are several therapists working with me here, including a psychotherapist, and I've talked with him about my rigorous rules and fears and we are working on bringing some perspective into my restricted mindset." Ranger kept his eyes locked on Steph's hands and continued to nervously rub their backs before he took another deep breath. "My life will change dramatically in future. I don't know whether I will still want to work at Rangeman once I'm released or do something completely different; I've made the decision to get closer to my family again, to open my mind up to all those things I denied myself before and that includes you, Babe. I want you… with all my heart. I'm in love with you and can't imagine my life without you. I know I told you my life doesn't lend itself to relationships and that my love comes with a condom and not a ring. That's no longer true. I realize now what a bullshit that was and what I missed all those years that I held you at arm's length. Perhaps I've missed my chance and you no longer feel that way, but if you agree I would love to give us a chance at being together, a real relationship with ups and downs and lots of love. I still can't promise you it will end with marriage or children because there's still so much in my mind that I have to sort out and think about, but if my heart is enough for you for now I would love to give a real relationship a try."

Ranger took a deep breath and chanced a look up into Steph's eyes. The love he saw shining in them made his heart erupt with joy and cheers and immediately produced a thousand watt smile on his face.

Wiping the tears from her face, Stephanie cupped his cheeks and pressed a soft kiss onto his waiting lips. "Yes, Carlos, yes. I want to give us a try and if your heart is all I will ever get it will be enough. I've waited so long and I thought I would have to wait even longer until you were ready, so yes, yes, yes."

Instead of falling into a passionate kiss, they hugged each other so close that not even a whiff of air would have managed to come between them as they let the love they felt pour into the other's body. An eternity later, Ranger pulled back and caressed Stephanie's face, wiping at the tear streaks in the process.

"I would love to kiss you now and I don't mean a peck. I mean a real kiss. May I?"

Steph couldn't think of anything else than bobbing her head yes. She didn't thought she would ever be able to talk again. When Carlos' warm, soft lips made contact with hers she couldn't help but moan. This felt different than in the morning; there was so much more meaning in this kiss. She opened her mouth and felt the caress of his tongue as he swept into her mouth and she slowly lost any coherent thought as Ranger took over and deepened the kiss while his hands caressed her body in unison with his tongue.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

It was early in the evening when Steph brought Ranger back to his temporary home and they decided to split rather than her coming up to his room. A lot had happened throughout the day that had to be processed. First they had lost themselves in kisses and caresses and then they shared a romantic lunch before driving to a park to take a walk in the forest holding hands whenever possible.

"Thanks for a wonderful day, Carlos," Steph cupped Ranger's cheeks and kissed him softly. "I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I."

"I did Babe. I will admit that my arms are a little bit sore from all that pushing of the wheelchair, but today was one of the best days in my life because I finally got my girl."

Ranger's thousand watt smile was so enticing that Steph wanted to crawl over on his lap and lose herself in his kisses. He had called her his girl; they were in a relationship… she needed time to comprehend all that.

"You better get out of this car before I seduce you right here in front of the main entrance."

"Your wish is my command," Ranger laughed at the hungry look in Steph's eyes and opened the passenger door. "My carriage please, ma'am."

Steph hurried to get the wheelchair out of the back and pushed it next to the passenger door where Ranger maneuvered himself over in the chair without much effort.

"A last kiss, Babe? So that I have something to hold me over till we see us again tomorrow."

Smiling, Steph leaned over and seductively let the tip of her tongue follow the seam of his lips. When Ranger opened his mouth, she swept her tongue along the backside of his teeth and then over his tongue and chuckled when she could hear his groan as he pulled her down on his lap and started to ravish her mouth.

"I hope that helps, Batman," she said after she finally straightened up again with her cheeks flushed and a huge grin playing on her face. He had let go of his precious control, something he had never done before.

"See you tomorrow, Babe," Ranger hollered over his shoulder as he pushed his wheelchair towards the sliding doors of the main entrance. "Don't go crazy."

"Don't crack a smile," she called after him causing Ranger to do exactly that as he turned around to her. "Now, now, where's your blank face, Batman?" Steph called out laughing.

With the help of one of his hands Ranger tried to straighten his face, just to have it lit up with a smile once he removed his hand. "Guess I lost it when I kissed my woman good-bye."

With that he turned back around and with a last wave vanished through the sliding doors.

Sighing happily, Steph climbed back into the SUV and programmed the address of the hotel into the navigation device. She couldn't wait to call Mare and tell her the news. Steph was sure her best friend would keep it to herself for the time being; she needed to tell someone to make it real or she would self-combust.

* * *

_**There you go... Ranger and Steph are finally a couple. I didn't plan to reveal this until the last chapter, but I felt the need to make you Babes happy because you are such a wonderful audience. Now on to the next chapter. If you like please leave a review so I can keep up the motivation I have going.**_


	26. Chapter 26

_**Hiya Babes, you ROCK ! ! ! So many wonderful reviews, thanks so very, very much. They put the biggest smile on my face and made me really happy. I'm at vacation at the moment and used the time to come up with the next chapter. More Ranger and Steph fluff :) Thanks so much to WizardsWoman for challenging me all the time. Without you I would update less frequently.**_

_**Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize from the books belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 26**

**Adams House Hotel, San Antonio, the next morning**

The elevator doors slid open and Stephanie and Tank stepped out into the lush foyer of their hotel.

"So we will meet here tonight at six p.m.?"

"You got it, Little Girl. One of my cousins will drive me back in time."

Steph smiled at Tank and hugged him. "Thanks, Tank. Love ya."

When Stephanie arrived at the medical center she was grinning from ear to ear. She couldn't wait to see Ranger. They had texted and he had asked her to come to his room so they could greet each other properly without curious eyes watching them. The prospect put a spring in her step. Stopping short in front of his door, she knocked joyfully and waited for an answer. Next thing she knew somebody grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the room causing her to stumble and fall onto a waiting lap as lips crashed down on her mouth and she was kissed passionately. The kiss seemed to last an eternity.

Breathing hard she finally came up for air. "Holy Batman."

"I wish you a wonderful Sunday morning, Babe." An almost smile played around Ranger's mouth and his eyes twinkled. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Yes, like a log, and I dreamed of a man who courted me."

"A man who courted you, eh? What did you tell him?"

"That I'm already taken."

Ranger smiled. "And what was his answer?"

"That he doesn't care. I told him not to get on my man's bad side, but he just shrugged his shoulders and kissed me."

A distinct growl filled the room. "I don't share, Babe."

"That's good because I don't share either," Steph said before she leaned forward and captured Ranger's lips in a sweet kiss. What started soft soon developed into a storm and they both moaned as they put every emotion into the kiss that coursed through them.

"How about breakfast, Babe? I'm starving."

"I'd love that. Where do you want to go?"

"I think the temple gets a day off and I will indulge in unhealthy calories. We just have to find a nice place where we can treat ourselves to some fine food."

"How about a picnic? The sun is shining so beautifully and the temps are just right to spend some time outside."

"Sold. I'd love to go back to the rose garden. That okay with you?

"More than okay. That place will always be special to me after yesterday. I'll call the hotel and have them prep some nice things to go for us."

After a short stop at the Adams House they were on their way to the rose garden and thirty minutes later found a nice private place on a stretch of grass surrounded by blossoming rose bushes. Steph spread the picnic blanket for them and Ranger slid out of the wheelchair onto the blanket, positioning his legs around until he was comfortable. He wore cargo shorts and a soft faded Army t-shirt and on his stumps he had black medical stockings to protect them from outside influences. Reaching for the picnic basket the hotel had prepared, Steph started to set out all the treats including the two glasses and small bottle of Champagne.

"To us!" Ranger said once they both held flutes in their hands. "To our past and to our future. I love you."

"I love you, too, Darling."

Breakfast was a wonderful affair. They had fruit salad with whipped cream, pancakes with syrup and chocolate covered strawberries that they fed each other.

"Mmmmmh. This is the first time since I'm here that I ate with gusto, Babe. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I agree, this was wonderful and I'm glad I'm not wearing jeans because then I would have to pop the top button."

Ranger looked at the slight bulge that was Steph's stomach and grinned. "You put more away than some of my men, Babe. I don't know how you are doing that without really gaining weight."

Stephanie blushed and packed their plates, the champagne flutes and the empty containers back into the picnic basket.

"Let's not talk about my eating habits, okay?"

"Okay." Ranger laid down and pulled Steph with him. "Tell me about Trenton and the office."

"Nope, not gonna happen. We're not talking business. This is out last day together; the only things we talk about are us, our past, and letting each other in."

Ranger smiled, leaned up and captured her lips in a kiss.

"Mmmmmh, you are tasting of chocolate and strawberries. I think I need to kiss you some more."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

"Tell me about your Abuela's rose garden," Steph said after they had lain in the sunshine and listened to the birds for a while.

"I love her dearly. We were six kids at home with me being the oldest and making the most problems. Damn I was rebellious. When I was thirteen, my mom and dad were at their wits' end. I was part of a gang, stole cars, smoked and vandalized. Before I could get imprisoned for some of the stuff I did my parents made the decision to send me down to Miami to my Abuela. She was tough and didn't hesitate to use her wooden spoon on me. I had to go to school and come home immediately; no discussion. For the smallest trouble I got grounded and she forced me to help her with her roses. At first I hated it with a passion but after some time I found peace in the flowers. We would work at the bushes together, water them, and generally care for them and my Abuela would tell me about the past. How the family fled from Cuba, how they started with nothing when they arrived in Miami, how I was born and about my first six years in Miami and all the shenanigans I pulled. After a year I felt better. The constant fight in my mind had built back and I was starting to learn to control my temper. That's when Abuela allowed me to spend time outside on the streets again and Lester, whose parents had stayed in Miami when my folks left, introduced me to Tank and Bobby and we all became fast friends."

Steph lay with her head on his shoulder and caressed his chest after he had finished speaking.

"Your youth was so much more exciting than mine."

"Don't say that. You tried to fly. That's something I never did. Tell me about it."

"Nothing special there. I always watched Wonder Woman on TV and my grandpa Mazur bought me one of those cool costumes. So as soon as I could I sneaked through the window out of the bathroom and onto the roof of the garage. There I stood; six years old, rebellious as hell and convinced I could fly. I remember my dad coming home from work, parking his Buick in the driveway and I waved to him and shouted 'See daddy, I can fly' and then I jumped… and broke my arm. My mother was so angry with me that I was grounded for the six weeks I had to wear the cast. At that time she started to harp on about my choices and used every chance she got to make comparisons between me and all the other good girls in this world. Valerie doesn't jump from garage roofs, Christina Poletti doesn't come home with scratched knees, Lindsay Kowalski cleans and cooks at home… yadda yadda yadda."

Stephanie took a deep cleansing breath and startled when Ranger pried her fingers from his shirt where they had an iron grip on the fabric.

"I love you for trying it. You wanted something and you weren't afraid of taking it. That says a lot about your inner strength, resilience and courage. I'm sure Valerie is a good woman, but she'd be too boring for me and Christina Poletti obviously never had real fun when she was outside and if Lindsay Kowalski already cleaned and cooked at the age of six or seven that means that her parents robbed her of her childhood. But that's just my humble opinion. It's important that you learn to think differently. Stop caring about other people's achievements compared to yours. You are one in a million. You are strong, courageous and incredibly intelligent. You are perfect just the way you are. You may not cook and don't feel strong about cleaning, but you are the CEO of the leading security company at the east coast with branches in Miami, Atlanta, Trenton and Boston. Who of all those perfect Burg women can say that for themselves?"

Pushing herself up on her elbow, Stephanie cupped Ranger's face and kissed him tenderly. "Thank you. You don't know what that means to me hearing that from you. I will try to remember that, but my mother knows what buttons to push to make me feel vulnerable and stupid."

"I will tell you again and again until you no longer doubt yourself, Babe. And maybe I should have a talk with your mother once I'm back in Trenton."

"That would go over really well." Steph snuggled back on his shoulder and returned to caressing his chest. "Tell me more about how you met Tank and Bobby."

"Well, as said Lester had grown up in Miami and he, Bobby and Tank were fast friends. Lester was the youngest of them but also the punk with the loudest mouth. He thought it was a good idea to provoke and continuously tease me. That's when I taught him a lesson and gave him a bloody nose, but instead of running home crying he wiped the blood from his face, grinned and bumped my fist. From that moment on I was an inherent part of their group and soon their leader. We roamed the neighborhood, pulled pranks, and had tons of fun. It was a wonderful time. When my parents visited and asked whether I wanted to come home, I decided against it. I was happy in Miami. I loved my Abuela and with Tank, Lester and Bobby I had three best friends I didn't want to miss. So I stayed throughout High School and once we were finished we all joined the Army and continued to have each other's back during Boot Camp."

"I love to hear stories about you and the guys. Thank you for sharing them with me."

"This opening up is new to me and I might struggle sometimes, but I want to and I promise you to always do my best. Call me on it when I start to clamp up."

"I will." Steph lifted her head and found his lips in a tender kiss. "I tend to run and hide in denial land as you know. I will try not to do that in future but if it happens come after me and make me talk. I don't want to jeopardize what we have by acting stupid."

They spent a couple more hours in their little secret retreat before clouds began crowding the sky and they started to be cold.

"Do you mind if we go back to the medical center, Babe? I'm still bushed from pushing myself around yesterday and I would love to lay down and take a nap with you before we meet with Tank later."

"Who am I to reject the offer of a nap?" Stephanie answered with a grin.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

It was six on the dot when Steph pushed Ranger into the foyer of the Adams House and they both looked around for Tank.

"Rangeman." Turning around they saw Tank straightening up from one of the club chairs to the side. "It's so good to see you again."

"I feel the same, man."

Tank leaned down and they two men hugged clapping the other on the shoulder.

"How are you doing?"

"Missing two legs, had my head pried out of my ass, but aside from that I'm alright," Ranger answered with a smile playing on his face causing Tank to hesitate for a moment. Playful Ranger was new to him.

"You ready to eat, gentlemen?"

"Lead the way, Babe. I'm surprised your beast hasn't roared, yet. I was worried how to tame it."

Tank looked at Ranger as if he had grown a second head. His friend had always been serious and taciturn, never cracking a joke, and here he was talking and bantering with Steph as though it was the most normal thing in the world. And now that he thought about it they both seemed to be unusual relaxed around each other. What was that about?

"Care to explain to me what happened with you two?"

"Oh nothing," Ranger said, nonchalantly waving his hand. "I just declared her my love and we are trying for a relationship."

Tank stopped short, his mouth hanging open, and stared at them. "No shit? You two finally serious about each other?"

"As serious as we can get, Tank," Steph beamed, leaned down and pressed a quick kiss on Ranger's lips.

"Now, if that's not a reason to celebrate!"

The table Steph had organized for them at the restaurant was perfect. One chair was missing to make room for the wheelchair and both men could have their backs against a wall since they were situated in a corner overseeing the whole restaurant.

"Has Steph told you how well she is doing at the office? The clients love her, the guys love to have her as boss and everything is on the up and up." Tank looked with pride in his eyes at the woman sitting across from him. "We are growing so fast that we badly need more employees."

"Proud of you, Babe!" Ranger sent her a thousand watt smile. "I knew you would excel at this. When you are short of men you can call Miami, Atlanta and Boston and borrow from them. I know the managers there will love to support you with manpower."

"Tank?"

"Your choice, boss," the big black man answered. "I think that would be a good idea, but you have to call them. It's time the guys in the other branches get to know you."

"How are your new punishment rules working, Babe?"

"Excellent. The guys are on their toes not to fuck up. Over the weeks we've come up with some very creative disciplinary measures. There is the traditional monitor duty of course, then we have cleaning the stairs with a toothbrush, helping Ella with chores, and of course the nightmare of everyone… Grandma Mazur duty; whether it's accompanying her to the funeral home or to the Clip'n Curl or other appointments and dates. Nothing scares them more."

That caused Ranger to let go of a full belly laugh. "My poor men, Babe. I don't want to get on your bad side if quality time with your granny is the price I have to pay."

"It works, that's all that counts."

"I'm glad that everything is working well for you," Ranger said, taking Steph's hand in his and squeezing it. "I didn't doubt for a second that you had it in you. I'm so proud of you."

"We will need to work something out that keeps Little Girl on deck once you return bossman. It's not just a joy to have her around but also a big profit for the company."

Ranger waved his hand appeasing. "I will have to stay here at least another six months. We can discuss that when the time of my discharge nears. Right now I'm not sure whether I will return into my old position at Rangeman."

Tank stopped the movement of his fork while he choked on his steak and looked at his friend once he got his breath back. "What do you mean?"

"Things are changing, Tank. I'm working on a whole new outlook on life. Don't get me wrong, I will keep Rangeman and not sell it, and maybe I will return part time, maybe not at all. I might find fulfillment in helping other vets dealing with their fate or in becoming a motivational speaker… okay, that's perhaps a bit unrealistic. On the other hand, who knows? Wherever life will lead me I want to see this injury as a chance and not as a restriction."

Tank returned his focus back to his Porterhouse Steak and chewed thoughtfully. "I can see that. It will be a loss for us, but I can see that."

"I don't think it will be a loss. You have Babe. With her as CEO all doors are wide open for Rangeman."

"You knew about this?" Tank turned to Stephanie.

"We talked a bit about it this afternoon and I promised not to panic. As said, we will discuss this once his discharge nears. I agreed to being CEO given that it is limited, but who knows how I will feel about it in six months. Maybe Rangeman is my future, maybe not."

"Oh boy." Shaking his head, Tank took the next bite of his steak and tried to wrap his mind around the news.

After that the topics they talked about lightened up and they had a wonderful evening. The food was delicious and everyone enjoyed themselves. Soon enough it was getting dark outside and Ranger insisted that Tank was to bring him back to the medical center. He said he didn't want Steph to drive in the dark in a foreign city, but truth was he didn't know how to say goodbye and the more they prolonged their parting the harder it would get. The weekend with her had been so amazing that he wasn't sure how he was supposed to survive the weeks ahead until her next visit.

"Goodbye, Babe. I love you." Steph was sitting on his lap outside the hotel while they were waiting for their car to be brought around. "I want you to be cautious when you are back in Trenton. I'm depending on you being whole and healthy."

"Promise, Darling. And you keep this positive attitude. My life is so much easier when I know you are fine and I don't have to worry about you."

They kissed softly, the love pouring out of their hearts.

"It's time Rangeman," Tank said next to them. "The car is here."

A last tender kiss and Stephanie removed herself from Ranger's lap and let him roll next to the passenger seat so he could push himself into the SUV.

"Don't go crazy, Babe," Ranger called out of the window causing Steph to laugh carefree.

"Don't crack a smile, Batman."

Before motioning for Tank to pull out from the curb, he called her over to the SUV and gave her one last kiss. Oh yes, he would miss her terribly. There were so many thoughts racing through his mind, but he knew just one thing to say.

"She's my everything, Tank. Protect her with your life."

* * *

_**A/N: I hope you liked this. It's very stormy outside, autumn has arrived, and I'm sitting here with a cup of spicy tea with milk and honey and looking forward to your reviews. Have a wonderful weekend everybody!**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**Hey Babes, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews you gave me for the last chapter. It was a joy reading them. Below you will find the next chapter. Steph is back in Trenton after her weekend with Ranger and immediately the office routine has a lock on her.**_

_**A big thank you goes to Rainbow Severus for taking over the editing of my chapters.**_

_**Disclaimer: JE invented the characters; I'm just playing around with them.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 27**

**Back in Trenton, the next morning**

With a pop-tart in her mouth, Steph rushed out of her townhouse in the Rangeman secured gated community and hurried down the front steps. 0740 hours, she was running late. Draped over her right arm was a garment bag holding her elegant black Versace suit for the client meetings later in the day, and with her left arm she balanced files with reports and quotations she had worked on till late in the night. Just when she juggled to open the car without losing her precious hold on the garment bag and files, a marked Rangeman vehicle slid to a stop at the curb and the passenger window rolled down. Hanson and Don sat in the car and smiled at her. They were both in their forties, former Police officer and rather new recruits, but doing a very good job so far. Both had a calm and friendly demeanor and were popular with the residents and their kids. Steph was glad they had hired them.

"Hanson, Don, how are you?" Steph called around the pop-tart in her mouth. "Doing your patrol?"

"Yep. Someone has to see to it that this community is safe, boss."

Steph tossed her belongings in the back of her SUV and, finally having her hands free, removed the pop-tart out of her mouth, licked her lips and checked for drool. "And who is better qualified for this job than Rangeman, eh? We guard. We protect. We secure," she beamed as she playfully pumped her fist in the air.

"Yes, boss ma'am!" Hanson and Don hollered over to her and raised their hands in a salute.

Steph smiled and waved as the men slowly continued their patrol. We guard. We protect. We secure. That was the new slogan for Rangeman's security line and the customers' feedback had been great and referrals were coming in non-stop. It was quickly becoming obvious after launching this new advertisement that they needed to hire staff. They needed to do it from the beginning, but now it became even more urgent.

Before backing out of the driveway, Steph looked at her townhouse and smiled happily. The place was wonderful; three houses were building one group, brick for low maintenance, small landscaping in front, generous yards in the back, two stories. Before she moved in, her house was altered to be completely wheelchair accessible with all bells and whistles including a lift between the first and second floor. Back then she didn't know whether she and Ranger would ever end up together, but she wanted him to feel at home at her place. Now it looked like this might one day soon be their joint home. Turning onto the street, Steph motored to the gate and greeted Brett who had pulled guard duty. 0750 hours; she would never make it in time for the eight o'clock morning meeting.

Fifteen and a half minutes later, Steph gunned her SUV down the ramp into Rangeman's underground garage, jumped out of the car, got her belongings from the backseat and hurried to the elevator that miraculously opened as she reached the doors.

"Thank you," she mouthed to whoever was manning the monitors.

When the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, Hector was already standing there, waiting to take the garment bag and files from her.

"Buenos dias, Angelita. Let me take this for you. You are expected in the conference room." And with that he vanished towards Steph's office giving her the chance to hurry down the hall and enter the room packed with men waiting for her.

"Sorry that I'm late," she said once she had found her place next to Tank. "Have you already started?"

"No, we waited for you," Tank answered. "A few men were also late because for some unknown reason they thought they would get away with that." He warned the guys with his eyes who immediately stood straighter.

"Insubordination?" Steph quirked her eyebrows at Tank, more joking than being serious.

"Nah, juvenile carelessness. I made sure they understood that the next time there would be consequences."

"Good, then I guess we can start. Good morning everybody." Steph smiled at the men around the room, half of them sitting at the conference table, the other half standing with their backs to the wall. "It's Monday; another workweek starts and I want you sharp and on your toes. Rangeman is growing faster than anybody has expected and last night I talked to the managers of the other branches about loaning some of their staff as support. During the day ten men will arrive; four from Miami, three from Atlanta and three from Boston and they will stay for as long as we need them. I'm sure some friends will be reunited and I suggest a little welcome party at Shorty's tonight at my expense."

That caused the room to erupt in applause and loud approval.

"Now bring me up to speed. What happened while Tank and I were in Texas for the weekend?"

Cal had once more under-taken the security and bond enforcement work while they were gone and now stood up to give his report.

"We had ten break-ins where we could respond in time before any merchandise or valuables could get stolen; four businesses got vandalized, but again we were there in time to prevent worse. And because things weren't hectic enough altogether six alarms were set off in private residences, but we could determine that they were all activated by accident. The written reports as well as a list of the extra hours the men made are all on your desk, Angel. I'm glad that we will have support from tomorrow on because with the lack of staff it is getting harder to respond in a timely fashion."

"Thank you Cal for your excellent work," Steph said, nodding at him. "We got word out that we are hiring and are also running advertisements in the leading security magazines. So far we got a good amount of applications that have to be checked now. At the moment I estimate a need for twenty men. Let's hope that we will find them because I'm not willing to forego excellence just because we struggle. If you know someone who could meet our demands and who is searching for a job, tell them to send in an application."

Tank straightened up and cleared his throat. "Steph, I have to say that I'm concerned about the amount of interviews and background checks that need to be done to get the men hired. I called Silvio last night and he's going to help with the background checks. He suggested sending him the applications and he will conduct thorough searches on them. Do you agree?"

"Absolutely! That will be an enormous relief. Any other concerns while we're at it?"

This time it was Hector who pushed himself away from the wall and looked her straight in the eyes.

"I have a problem with my external supplier. Despite reminders my orders have still not arrived which throws me behind on the installations. This is not the first time that this is happening, but with all the new clients we have it is really creating a problem. Once the parts finally arrive I will need help getting caught up."

"I understand Hector. Would it be an option to change the supplier?"

"They offer the best quality for an acceptable price."

"Make a list of other, more expensive suppliers and give me some numbers and I will try to work out a deal for us. Do you have any suggestions how we could assist you with getting caught up?"

"I need a second man at my side to help with the installations. Not just for now, but permanently. Someone I can trust. I have a cousin that would meet this need, but he's ex-con and freshly out of prison."

"You know we don't care about the past as long as it doesn't interfere with the present or future. If he's interested, tell him to send in an application, but warn him in advance that the rules are strict and have to be followed; no exceptions."

"I will Angelita, gracias."

"Anybody else?" Steph looked around the room. "Okay, then I have a couple more things to say. We finally have found a Yoga teacher and classes will start Wednesday. You know they are mandatory and you will be assigned depending on your working schedule."

A loud groan worked its way through the room.

"Oh come on," Steph put her fists on her hips. "Don't be such babies. You will survive the three months and who knows in the end you might like it."

"Beautiful, I hope that means that the guys from the other offices will participate in the yoga classes, too? Same rules for everybody, right?"

"Les, you want to bitch and whine?"

"It's just not fair if they get away with not participating just because they are from another office."

Rolling her eyes, Steph finally leveled a stare at Lester. "Don't worry, Mr. Sulk. Everybody who works at this office has to follow the same rules, guests included. Now that that is settled I have a private request. You know that I take care of one of Ranger's men from his last mission, Mark Kaminski. He had a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for a while. Last week he was transferred from Walter Reed in DC to the Birch Wood Rehab facility in Philly. He suffered a distinct damage to his brain and has to learn everything from scratch. Mark is very dependent on me and that has to change for his own well-being. My question is whether a few of you guys would be willing to accompany me to see Mark and spend some time with him so he learns that there are other nice people aside from me. The goal is that I no longer have to go there every day to insure he keeps functioning but that instead of me other people, like you, could drive over to Philly and keep him company. Unfortunately, since we are so short-staffed I can't have you do this during your workday but would have to ask you to accompany me in your free time. Please understand that there are no consequences if you decide against it. I will understand. Working with a mentally challenged person can be tiring and you are all overworked as it is."

"He was with the bossman on his mission?" Zip wanted to know.

"Yes, he was one of three men under his command. Ranger and I will be thankful for any support you are willing to give."

"I will come with you, Darling," Woody said and nodded to her. "One of my siblings is mentally handicapped. I know what to expect and it is a point of honor."

"I will come too, Bomber," Junior said from his perch and Steph could see a few other men nodding in agreement.

"Thanks, guys. We really appreciate that. Send me a short email when you are back at your workstations and I will work out a schedule."

"How is the bossman?" One of the guys leaning against the wall called into the room.

"He's fine and sending a hello to everybody. They finally fitted him for his first prostheses. They are short prosthetic legs also called stubbies, no joints, just short rods with a small, square foot plate, but they are best geared for learning to balance and walk again. He's not entirely happy with this interim solution, but he understands that he has to start small if he wants to excel in the end. Now, before Cal hands out the assignments for today, I have a last announcement to make. Zero, Woody, Hal and Binkie will from now on focus on client relations. That doesn't mean they won't go out in the field anymore, but their priority will be the acquisition and care of clients. The core team is proud that they stepped forward and accepted this new challenge. To be prepared for the future work I will conduct a sensitivity training with them. The first lesson will take place after this meeting. Do you have anything else to say, Tank?"

"No. Just be vigilant, forward-thinking, and always prepared. Honor what Rangeman stands for. Now give out the assignments, Cal and afterwards the two of us will meet in my office so you can hand over the responsibility to me."

After the assignments were handed out, Steph watched the men slowly leave the room. The bad-asses were turning into business men and she couldn't have been prouder of them. Whether Ranger would come back as CEO or not; she wanted to blow his expectations to smithereens and present to him a company that had grown and developed during his absence.

"Zero, Woody, Hal, Binkie? You stay. We will train here in the conference room."

When just the five of them were left, Steph walked over to the door, closed it and with a smile turned to the four men waiting for her.

"So let's start with a little brainstorming," she walked back to the whiteboard and took a black marker. "Why do you think do the clients have problems feeling comfortable in your presence?"

"We don't talk much," Binkie said.

"That's right. You are not motormouths," Steph smiled and wrote it down on the board. "What next?"

"We don't smile," Hal said shyly.

"Right. Your blank faces are a big problem for the average civilian and that's a pity because you have such wonderful smiles."

"I have another one," Zero spoke up. "Our body language is probably disadvantageous."

"Very good, Zero. That will be one of our main concerns. How to get your bodies to communicate an open, welcoming attitude. When I want to buy something and the salesperson isn't welcoming, then I move on to the next who greets me with a warm smile and a friendly body language. That's it, and that's what Rangeman is struggling with. When it comes to security we are the best on the market so let's get us the accounts our competition is landing at the moment."

They continued to collect reasons why clients might be uncomfortable in their presence and then started to group them so they could work on them one by one. When they were finished and the guys had written their notes down into their notebooks, Steph looked around them and smiled warmly. When the men kept their blank faces, she couldn't help but chuckle and smile even brighter.

"Okay guys, rule number 1: When a client gives you a smile, you are supposed to smile back," she said.

Instantly all their lips curved in unison and Stephanie couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Alright, the remaining time we will spend practicing a warm smile and greeting and some idle chit-chat. Pair up and let me see what you got."

~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~

It was a few minutes after five o'clock in the afternoon when Steph, Woody and Hal finally drove down the ramp to the Rangeman garage and parked their Escalade in one of the free spots. They had spent the past four hours with different clients and were all glad to finally be back again.

"You did good," Stephanie said when they stepped into the elevator.

"We did nothing more than sitting around watching you."

"That's not true, Woody. You perfectly implemented what we trained earlier. Your postures were not exactly relaxed but open, your smiles warm and welcoming and you managed to chat with the clients before we got down to business."

"True."

"How about you, Hal? How do you feel about your accomplishment?" Steph asked the shy man standing on her other side. His application for client relations came as a surprise, but he explained to her and the core team that he wanted the chance to come out of his shell and grow. He didn't solely want to chase criminals for the rest of his life.

"It was difficult for me, but that was to be expected. I'm proud of how I have handled the situations and now I need a shower, a pizza and a couple beers. I'd never have thought that the work with clients can be so exhausting. I'm beat."

"That's the tension," Steph smiled up at him, took his hand and squeezed it. "That will become better. I remember my first client meeting the second day I started here as CEO and let me tell you I was a nervous wreck; sweaty, flushed and completely panicked. The second meeting was easier, the third even more and after a week I no longer broke a sweat. You will see; it will become better with every time you accompany me."

The elevator doors opened on the fifth floor and they all stepped out and walked over to Steph's office.

"Okay, this is how we will do it," Steph said as soon as she had sat down behind her desk. "The normal procedure would be that I would get to work now and draft the quotations as discussed with the clients, but I don't have time for that now. I need to change and then I'm off to Philly to visit with Mark and see to it that he eats dinner. So the work will have to wait till later tonight. What I want you to do is draft your own quotations and tomorrow after the morning meeting we will discuss the differences between yours and mine. I know tonight is the party with the guys from the other offices, but if you do the first half now and the second half when you are back from the party, it should work out."

"How about you, Darling? You will come to the party, too, right?" Woody asked from his perch on one of the visitor chairs. "The men all want you there."

"As soon as I'm back from Mark I will come over, but you will have to start without me. I'm not sure about Tank, but Bobby and Lester should be there so that there are some representatives from the leadership team."

Steph gave Woody and Hal some pointers regarding the correct layout of a quotation and afterwards the guys said goodbye and left the room. A knock at the door made Steph look up just in time to see Junior put his head through the door crack.

"Are we still on for the drive to Philly, boss?" he asked.

"Yes, let me change out of this suit and I'll be ready to go."

A few minutes later, Steph walked into the break room to find Junior sitting together with six unknown men animatedly chatting with each other. Deciding that those were probably the loaners from Boston and Atlanta, she went over and welcomed them in Trenton. Immediately, the men stood up and introduced themselves. They had never worked for a woman and couldn't wait to start; the stories ranking around Stephanie Plum too fascinating not to jump at the chance. Once introductions were made, Steph bid them goodbye and they eyed her curiously as she walked over to the stove and put three soup bowls, cutlery and a big pot with stew into a Styrofoam box.

"You ready to roll, Junior?" Steph asked after she had finished packing dinner.

"Absolutely, boss. Let me get that box and then lead the way."

* * *

_**That was it. The guys are turning more and more from badasses to business men marking just one of the many changes Rangeman is undergoing. Thank you for reading and of course for leaving a review :)**_


	28. Chapter 28

_**To all the Babes who took the time and wrote a review for the last chapter - you ROCK! And to those who enjoy this story quietly, I'm happy that you are on board. You are all wonderful people, thanks for sticking with me.**_

_**Disclaimer: I'm not making any money, just playing around with JE's characters.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 28**

"Which car?" Junior asked when they entered the garage.

"Mine." Steph had the car keys already in her hand and beeped her SUV open.

Junior quickly stashed the Styrofoam box away and turned around to see Steph standing next to him. "We are off duty, right?"

Steph nodded, "That's right."

"Good, then we are no longer boss and employee but friends," and without warning, Junior pulled Steph into a tight hug and held her close. After a minute he let her go with a deep sigh and a happy smile on his face. "Sorry, I needed that."

Chuckling, Steph rubbed his arm and squeezed his hand. "You are welcome, Junior. A hug from time to time and the day is so much better."

It had taken some getting used to, but eventually the men and Steph had found a way to keep their close friendship alive even though she was their boss now. While on the clock, most of them called her boss and were nothing but professional around her, but once they were off she was their Bomber or Bombshell and they treated her like the friend she was.

"You want to drive?" Steph asked the man standing in front of her whose eyes lit up as he snatched the keys out of her hand.

"What do I have to expect?" Junior eventually asked when they cruised down the interstate 95 towards Philadelphia. "You said he is mentally handicapped. Can he interact with us at all? What am I supposed to do?"

"Let me tell you the outline… Mark is twenty-seven, Army Ranger, who suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting in a broken skull and subdural hematoma that pressed on his brain for quite a while causing different areas to shut down. Moving, talking, he has to learn everything from scratch. If you speak slowly and use simple words he more and more understands you, but so far he can't talk back. It's a slow progress. Physically, he has learned to push himself into a sitting position and he can move his arms and use his hands. That was a big achievement because it meant he could eat on his own again. He is clinging to me and that's detrimental for his recovery so the doctors and I discussed that I bring you guys with me. We hope that Mark will accept you as friends who come to visit so that slowly we can wean him off the daily visits from me. I love to drive over to him, eat and play with him, but it puts a lot of pressure on me with all the work at Rangeman and not to mention that it would be better for Mark if he was more independent from me. Once we are with him I will introduce you and you take it by ear. Speak slowly and pronounced, but otherwise treat him like a normal person. He can slap hands and bump fists as greeting; you just have to show him what you want. We will talk with him, eat together and then play at bit. At the moment he's learning to do children puzzles and he loves it. Think of a four year old."

"I understand. I've never had to deal with someone mentally challenged, but he's one of us, a brother, so I will give my best to help you and him."

When they arrived at the rehab facility, Junior took the Styrofoam box with their food and followed Steph into the building.

"Mark's room is on the second floor."

They both entered the stairwell and found their way up to room 214. Before Steph opened the door she turned around to the man following her on her heel. "One last thing; Mark can't deal well with tension so if possible be relaxed. That's the direct way to his heart."

With that last advice she knocked on the door and opened it, just to find Mark immediately smiling brightly when she entered the room.

"Hey Sweetie," she greeted him, walked over to his bed, sat down and engulfed him in a big hug. When she felt his arms loosen after a minute, Steph leaned back and turned around to Junior, begging him to come closer.

"Mark, this is Junior. He's a friend of mine and I hope you two will also become friends," she said slowly. "Do you want to have a new friend?"

Mark looked at her for a moment while he processed her words and then nodded.

"Great," Steph pulled him in a quick hug. "Then say hello to Junior."

For a minute Mark thought what to do before he stretched out his fist for a fist-bump. When Junior smiled, he smiled back and impatiently lifted his arm higher.

"Hey Mark, nice to meet you," Junior bumped the offered fist and then smiled down at the man sitting on his bed. "Steph told me a little bit about you and I am happy to be here."

"Are you hungry?" Steph asked.

When Mark nodded after a moment, she rolled the wheelchair next to the bed and showed Junior how to move him from his bed into the wheelchair.

"It's important that he gets out of this bed regularly; for one so he doesn't get sore and on the other side so his brain gets as much new stimulus as possible. That's why I always train and play with him while I'm here. This rehab facility is really good and they take very good care of Mark, but they can only do so much and the more often Mark's brain gets stimulated the better."

"I understand," Junior said as he picked up the Styrofoam box, put it on one of the chairs at the small table in the room and started to hand out the soup bowls and cutlery. Lastly he put the pot of stew in the middle of the table. "You want some stew?" He asked Mark and waited for a reaction.

Mark looked at little confused and turned his head to Steph.

"Do you want to eat stew?" When Mark nodded after a moment, Steph pointed at the soup bowl in front of him. "Then give Junior your bowl so he can fill it."

It took a moment, but after about half a minute had passed Mark hesitantly took his bowl and gave it to Junior.

"Yay, you understood me," Steph jubilated and caressed his cheek. "That was great. You did good, sweetie."

The immediate smile on Mark's face was heartwarming and both Steph and Junior couldn't help but smile widely back. Filling Mark's bowl with stew, Junior sat it down in front of him, served first Steph then himself and was about to start eating when Steph stopped him by laying his hand on his.

"Mark and I say grace before we start eating. The doctors say routines are good for him so I started saying a prayer; nothing overly religious, but enough to… I don't know… give him some reassurance. First prayer, then eat. The more he learns and becomes independent, the better he will function if he has routines to follow through the day."

Junior nodded and sat up, folding his hands. Mark saw what he was doing and immediately imitated him. Then it was Steph who spoke the short prayer.

"God, we thank you for this food; for rest and home and all things good; for wind and rain and sun above; but most of all for those we love."

When she looked up and saw Mark expectantly looking over at her she laughed quietly and nodded at him. She didn't have to do that twice. Immediately, he dug in and started scarfing down the stew.

"He's definitely hungry," Junior watched the man next to him and smiled so that his eyes crinkled at their corners.

"I bet he didn't eat his breakfast and lunch today because I haven't been here for the past two days," Steph said with a sigh. "Bobby had driven over here both days and told me that yesterday Mark's mood was already declining and he had a hard time getting him to eat his dinner."

They were both half through their bowls when Mark pushed his over to Junior with his eyes asking for more.

"Whatever you want, man." Junior smiled and refilled.

Two more soup bowls later, Mark leaned back in his wheelchair and sighed happily.

"Sated?" Steph asked him and just got a confused look back. "Did you have enough?"

A happy smile was all she needed to know her ward was fine.

"Okay, so how about we puzzle now?"

As soon as she said the word puzzle Mark's eyes started to shine and he nodded fervently.

An hour later they had repeatedly gone through all his puzzles and Mark was beat. He could barely keep his eyes open as Steph moved him out of his wheelchair and back on the bed. After she had straightened out his legs and tucked him in, she started to run her hand through his hair and caressed his cheek.

"Sleep tight, sweetie. You are safe and loved for now and evermore."

He looked so young and boyish as he lay there with his eyes closed, sinking deeper and deeper into the mattress the more his body relaxed. When Steph finally leaned forward to press a soft kiss on Mark's brow, he was already fast asleep.

"That was quick," Junior said quietly as he packed up the puzzles and straightened the table. "One minute he was going strong and the next his eyes fell shut."

"Yes, that's the way with him. When he likes something he's so eager and happy to do it that he can't stop until he's wiped out."

"This was a fun evening. I can't say what I expected when driving here, but it wasn't this. Mark has a really easy-going personality."

"Yes, he loves to smile and make other people smile. Every time he chose the wrong puzzle piece his eyes lit up when we laughed over his antics. His best friend Leroy says that Mark had always been rather serious before that last mission so this fun loving personality is definitely new for him."

Steph quickly spoke to one of the nurses before they left and then she and Junior were on their way back to Trenton.

"You want to go to the party?" She asked Junior once they were on the 95 heading north.

"Yeah, of course. I don't know who's coming from Miami, but I know all the guys from Boston and Atlanta. I'm looking forward to shooting the shit with them tonight."

"Then Shorty's it is."

Forties minutes later they tried to find an open space in the lot next to Shorty's. The place was packed with black Rangeman SUVs and the sounds coming from inside the restaurant told them that the party was in full swing. Steph and Junior walked over the parking lot and Junior stepped ahead to open the door for Steph. What greeted them was the noise of about thirty men blowing off steam and having a blast.

"The boss is here!" One of the men shouted and immediately the focus of the group turned towards the door and Stephanie. "Let's hear it for the best boss in the world!"

Before Steph knew what was happening a slightly drunk Zip lifted her on his shoulder and marched her over to the group in the back.

"A speech… a speech… a speech!" The men sang in a chorus and from somewhere a beer was handed over to Steph who had been deposited on a table in the middle of the bedlam.

"Okay guys, tone it down for a minute," Steph laughed and lifted the glass in the air. "Here is to you, the best friends and employees I can wish for; to me because I haven't gone stir crazy, yet; and last but not least to Rangeman, the wonderful place that makes us family. Cheers!"

The whoohoos and shouts of agreement made the walls shake so that Shorty came out of the kitchen looking alarmed.

"Shorty, the tab's on me. Whatever the guys want, they get it," Steph hollered over to him and got a smile and nod in return.

Les lifted her off the table and sat her down next to him. "Beautiful," he spoke loudly over the noise. "Rangeman tab, right?"

"Nope, private tab. This is my welcome party for the guys so I pay."

Lester didn't look pleased but decided to leave the discussion for tomorrow.

"Don't pull such a face, Les. Introduce me to the Miami guys."

With a single wave, Les summoned the four men that had watched her curiously and started to make introductions.

"Beautiful, this is Manson," he pointed to the largest of the group, easily the height and bulk of Tank. Steph guessed he was in his forties and exuded calm and strength. His file said that he'd been a hostage negotiator with the FBI before coming to Rangeman and Steph could see where this had influenced his today demeanor. She doubted there was anything that could make him lose his cool. "He's with Rangeman Miami from the beginning. By the way that applies to every one of the men. They are all part of Miami's A-team. Then we have Julio next," Lester nodded to a small Latino man with tattoos plastering every visible part of his skin including his face. "This is Herrera," he pointed to a 6 foot tall, drool worthy looking man with a killer smile. Steph knew he had a way to deal with people and saw him as a takedown leader as soon as he was acquainted with Trenton's streets. "And last but not least there is Tom," Lester nodded over to the unobtrusive fourth man. Tom was average in every way, but his eyes held a mysterious sparkle that immediately peeked Steph's interest. There was more to him and she looked forward to finding out what that was.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming and supporting Rangeman Trenton; I'm glad to have you. I've already scanned through all your files and hope to get to know you better over the next few days. Our rules of engagement are more or less the same as in Miami aside from some changes we made since I became CEO. That's why you will all get a book of rules to your information, but let's not talk about business. That will start tomorrow at the morning meeting. For now be my guests, have fun and relax." Steph smiled. "Our everyday work is so demanding that we deserve to let our hair down every once in a while."

The four men nodded with their military blank faces, turned and mingled with the other men.

Looking after them Steph sighed. "They seem nice enough, but they have a lot to learn; blank faces my ass."

Next to her Les laughed and threw his arm over her shoulders. "You will have them softened in no time, Beautiful."

From the other side of the room they could see Bobby walking over to them. "Hey honey," he kissed her cheek. "How is Mark doing?"

"He's fine. The moment I entered all sulk was forgotten and he was his smiley self. Same procedure as last time."

"It will get better, you will see."

"I hope so."

"Between the other guys and me entertaining him he won't know how to miss you."

"Oh boy."

Bobby laughed at the look on her face and pulled her into a warm hug. "It will all be good."

Somewhere the music was turned louder and Cal came towards her, hips gyrating in time with the Latin beats, his crooked finger making come hither motions to Steph. Steph couldn't help but laugh and dance towards him, mimicking his movements.

"Angel, Angel, Angel," Cal shook his head as he pulled her close. "You are too good to be true. Let's show those wimps from the other offices how hot we can be together."

Steph laughed and leaned his head against his hard chest. "You definitely had a beer too much, Cal."

"Nooo, okay, maybe one, but I'm still sober enough to enjoy their flabbergasted looks."

"Hahaha… Okay, loverboy, let's show them our moves, but make sure they know that me dancing like this with you is because we are close friends and not some everyday occurrence with my employees."

"Yes, ma'am," Cal said, grinning down at her before twirling her out of his arms just to pull her close into his body again.

When she was on the third dance with Cal, Woody cut in and demanded his own time with his Darling. As Cal he was a wonderful, gifted dancer and Steph felt like flying in his arms. For the next couple hours she did nothing but dancing with all her favorite Merry Men and when the clock turned 2300 her feet were hurting and she felt beat but satisfied.

"I have to go, really," she told Zero who looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes; he was definitely under the influence.

"Just one more."

"No, Z-man. I need to go back to the office. There are some sale quotations waiting for me and you should come with me. You've had enough for tonight."

"But…"

"No but, grab our jackets and we'll be on our way. Oh, and bring Zip with you. He's way too drunk to still be here."

Pouting, Zero turned towards the tables to find their coats. "Man, you are no fun."

"I'm mighty fun, sweetheart, and therefore we go home now." Steph looked after him and smiled. It was endearing how some of her badass friends turned into real cuties when under the influence.

"You ready to go, Little Girl?" Tank said, suddenly standing beside her.

"Yes, I take Zip and Zero with me. They've had enough. You will stay a little longer?"

"Yeah, for another hour maybe. You going home after dumping Tweedledee and Tweedledum?"

"No, I'll make myself a coffee and start working on the sale quotes for today afternoon's potential clients."

"You are working too hard, Little Girl. This way you will be burned out sooner or later."

"This is an exception, Tank, and you know it. Normally I try to be home between eleven and midnight."

"Just what I'm saying."

"Tank, let's postpone this discussion to another night, okay? The work has to be done and if it hadn't been for the party I would already be home snoozing in front of the TV."

"Okay, Steph, another night. But this isn't over," Tank looked at her sternly.

"The big man giving you any problems?" Zip slurred, suddenly standing next to her straightened up to his full height and finding Tank's eyes.

"No, Buster," Steph smiled at him and padded his chest. "You can keep your Colts in your belt."

"I don't take up with anyone manhandling you," Zip said while swaying on his feet.

"I know sweetheart. No need to worry. Do you have your jacket?"

"Jacket…," Zip looked lost for a moment. "Nope."

"Then get it."

"I didn't bring one."

"Are you sure?"

"Yesssss."

"Okay, then let's go." Steph saw Zero coming towards her loaded with their coats and turned Zip in direction of the exit. "See you tomorrow, Tank."

Their ride to the office took ten minutes. When they had parked next to the elevator and Zero had helped Zip out of the car, the latter swayed towards Steph with a dopey grin.

"Shteffanniiieee dance with meeee," he sang, zeroing in on her.

"No, Buster. You just want to be hugged real tight."

"Oh yeeaaaahhh."

Steph laughed and stirred him towards the elevator. "I'll hug you tomorrow in the gym when you suffer while running off your killer hangover."

With Zero's help, she managed to bring Zip to his apartment and into his bed.

"You tug me in?" he slurred with unfocused eyes after Steph had gotten rid of his shoes.

"Okay, love-bug, this one time."

Steph wrapped him snug as a bug into his sheets, stroked through his hair and leaned forward to press a soft kiss onto his cheek. Hard to say whether Zip was still awake, but his lips were tilted up into a small smile giving him a look of boyish mischief.

"You tuck me in, too?" Zero asked, smirking at her.

"Nope, sorry Z-man. You might be drunk, but you are still way too aware for that kind of intimacy."

Ten minutes later she had finally managed to get a pouting and sulking Zero into his apartment and stood in the breakroom on the fifth floor brewing a fresh pot of coffee. The ride over from Shorty's had energized her and she felt ready to dive headfirst into her work. In the com-room Ram and Hector sat in front of the monitors keeping watch over Trenton… or at least their clients' businesses and homes… and the cubicles housed the six men on duty for emergency calls. It might be night, but Rangeman was operating like clockwork, dedicated to keeping those trusting in them safe, and Steph took a pride in that as she walked down the well-lit hall towards her dark office.

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_**That was more of Steph's tender loving care she shows 'her' guys. The next chapter will be about Ranger and how he's doing. Thanks for reading and leaving a review. :)**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Hey Babes, thanks so much for your kind words and support. Everytime my cell phone dings with an incoming email a big smile turns up the corners of my lips and I can't wait to read what you left for me. Your words fuel my drive to continue this story even though it is getting harder with every chapter. There are so many lose ends to tie up and I want to satisfy you all if that is at all possible.**_

_**Special thanks go to Rainbow Severus and WizardsWoman for bouncing ideas with me and proofreading this chapter.**_

_**Disclaimer is the same as always: Those characters you recognize from the Plum books belong to JE.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 29**

**6 weeks later**

"Okay, now that that is settled we come to today's assignments." Steph stood at the head of the conference table and looked around the room, meeting the men's eyes. "Boomer, Hancock, you two will do a double shift monitor duty and afterwards clean the fifth floor under Ella's supervision."

"WHAT?" Both men jumped up and looked angrily at her. "Why the fuck are we getting punished?"

"You two are still hungover and in no shape for field work, hence the monitor duty. And the double shift and cleaning duty will hopefully teach you not to get wasted when you have to work the next day. I may not dish out mat time, but that doesn't mean that you can get away with things without repercussions."

The men called Boomer and Hancock scowled at her but took their seats. They were two of the Atlanta guys and had overstepped the mark. It was the first time since the borrowed crew members had arrived that Steph was forced to demonstrate her power and teach them a lesson.

"Hector, Sanchez, Zip and Gomez, instead of your monitor shifts you will go out in the field and canvass Stark and Sloan for information regarding the new guns on the streets. Rumor has it that Alexander Ramos is pissed and we don't want a war in Trenton. Hector, I know this takes you away from installations, but I need you on the street. If there's a problem, come to me and I'll see what I can do."

The four men nodded and Steph couldn't help but realize that Sanchez looked a little uncomfortable at the prospect of being teamed up with Hector. Nothing she could do about that. The other teams were all put together. She couldn't ask Tank to redo that just because of Boomer and Hancock's fuck-up and the resulting change in shifts.

"Alright, the team leaders will now come and get their files and afterwards will meet with their partner for a short briefing. Everybody: Be vigilant and prepared; I want you all safe."

The appointed leaders stood up and went to Tank who handed out the files with their assignments; the rest of the men filed out of the room and went to their corresponding cubicles.

Suddenly, Brett and Bones stood in front of Steph. "Boss?"

"Hm?"

"Do you want us to have a talk with Boomer and Hancock?"

"You mean a talk that involves your fists?" Steph smiled up at them. "No, guys, thank you. You know what I think about mat-time. If you spar with each other as friends that's fine, but I don't want anyone getting beat because he dissed rules. I have other ways to settle that."

"But what if those other ways don't work?"

"Then the person will lose their job with Rangeman. Listen, I know you worry, but don't. I have everything under control, 'kay?"

"Ten-Four, but we have your back when you need us."

Steph watched Brett and Bone's retreating backs and smiled. They both belonged to Rangeman's B-team, but that didn't keep them from looking out for her. Rangeman Trenton had become a close-knit community and the guys from Boston, Atlanta and Miami had a hard time being accepted in the family.

~~~ooOoo~~~

"Come on, Carlos. You can do it." The physical therapist was standing behind Ranger, ready to step in should the need be. "I know you have a bad day, but all the more important it is that you push yourself to achieve something, even if it is just a little bit."

Ranger swore and swayed in place while he tried to keep his balance. Since two weeks he had problems with his equilibrium and now they had lengthened his stubbies for another four inch ensuring that his problems got even worse.

"I can't do this." He pressed through clenched teeth and looked around for his wheelchair.

"Yes, you can. Get your shit together and try." The physical therapist pushed him, knowing it was time for some harsh words rather than compassion.

Painfully, Ranger pushed the walker he was hanging on a step forward, pulled himself together and concentrated not to lose his balance once he moved his legs.

"FUCK!" His outburst could be heard in the whole gym. "I'M FED UP WITH THIS SHIT!"

The harness he wore and the bungee rope he was attached to had absorbed the worst of his fall, but nonetheless he felt humiliated sitting on the floor for the umpteenth time today.

"Stand up and try again; the start looked really good." The therapist encouraged Ranger, picking up the walker and positioning it in front of him.

"No, I'm done. Get me my wheelchair so I can pack up."

"You are not done. Not on my shift."

The two men stared at each other and Ranger had to fight hard not to lose his famous control.

"I said I'm done," he growled, his eyes cold and nailing hard into those of the physical therapist.

"Listen Carlos, we are working together for three months now. In this time we've become quite close and I understand your frustration but, believe me as your friend, you need to stand up and try it again. Stopping this session after a failure is the worst thing we can do. You need a positive experience to help you through this shitty day."

On the floor Ranger took some calming breaths and finally gritted his teeth. In the well-known procedure that they had trained for weeks on end, he sorted out his prostheses and with the help of the walker stood up, albeit tottering.

"Okay, now move the walker a step forward and then concentrate. This isn't about speed or fluency. Take your time and move first your right and then your left leg. Forget about all the people here. It's just you and me and together we can do this."

Ranger pressed his lips together, pushed the walker a step ahead and then focused on his right leg. He lifted his hip and rolled it forward as they had trained thousands of times and saw his prosthetic leg make a step forward. When the footplate touched the floor, he halted for a minute and concentrated on keeping his balance. Once he felt in control, he took a deep breath and repeated the procedure with his left leg. This time he didn't fall. His posture and expression were strained and sweat was running in rivulets down his face, but he looked satisfied. Seeing the weariness on his face, his physical therapist decided to declare their session over and brought Ranger his much longed for wheelchair. In a few hours they would meet again for their afternoon session and his patient was in dire need of a break. He just wanted their two hours to end on a positive note.

~~~ooOoo~~~

"Alright, any questions?" Steph looked at Zero, Woody, Binkie and Hal who were sitting on the guest chairs and couch in her office. "No? Fine, then go and get us some contracts. Good luck."

She watched them file out of the room and slouched back once the door shut behind them. Bringing the four of them into client relations was the best idea ever. They had all completed their sensitivity training with success and were fruitful with both new and existing clients, especially Hal. Who would have thought? His unobtrusive, pleasant demeanor appealed their female clientele and it so happened that new female clients asked especially for him after he was most warmly recommended by business friends. It was obvious to her that all four guys were taken up in their new assignment. Her cell phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts and she smiled at the Batman theme filling the room.

"Hey Batman, what's shaking?"

For the longest moment there was nothing to hear before Ranger's weary voice sounded through the line. "Babe."

Frowning, Steph pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the screen as though that would give her a clue what was going on.

"Are you alright, Carlos? You don't sound good."

"Having a shit day, Babe."

"Tell me, why is it shitty?"

"Don't want to."

"But talking helps putting things in perspective."

On the other end she could hear a low growl. "I don't need perspective. When I say it's a shit day that has to be enough for you."

"Okay, okay, don't get your panties in a bunch," Steph said, furrowing her brow.

"Sorry, Babe."

Ranger's voice sounded miserable and she wanted to do nothing more than take him in her arms.

"It's okay, Carlos. I can take it."

"But you shouldn't have to. This is all so fucked up. My fucking life is fucked up."

Alright, so it was one of those days. Steph kept silent. Obviously he didn't want to talk about it and she wouldn't make the mistake of pushing him when he was in a mood.

"Tell me about your day, Babe. I need some distraction."

"That I can do. Rangeman is running at peak performance. Security, Bond Enforcement, they are all blooming. We have daily job interviews and are slowly stocking up on staff. Today at the morning meeting I had to put Boomer and Hancock from Atlanta in their place. They both got really drunk last night. Lester and Bobby had to spring them from Domino's and settle their bill. This morning they still had such a hangover that it was clear they couldn't go out in the field today. Tank was pissed. He had already made the schedules and paired up the teams. So it became clear that a lesson needed to be taught. They are both on a double monitor shift and afterwards have to clean the fifth floor under Ella's supervision. That will hopefully teach them not to get shitfaced when they have to work the next day."

"You should have let Tank settle this on the mats."

"No. There is no such thing as mat time anymore. You know that."

"Stephanie, your Barbie approach won't help these hardened men to learn their lesson."

"Excuse me? This Barbie approach as you call it has worked just fine so far. The guys take me serious without me asking Tank to beat them to a bloody pulp."

"It might seem that way, but I know them better than you. They enjoy the freedom that comes with you being their boss, but the moment the going gets rough all hell will break loose and your girlie ways will bite you in the ass. Then it will be up to Tank to get the men back under control."

Steph looked at the dark mahogany of her desk and took a deep breath. "Carlos, are you spoiling for a fight? I've had a great day so far and won't let you clash with me."

The silence that was greeting her on her cell was ear-deafening.

Just as she wanted to ask Ranger whether he was still there, the landline rang making Steph check the number in the display.

"Listen, Carlos, please hold the line. There's a call on the landline that I have to take." Grabbing the receiver with her free hand she held it to her ear. "What's up, Cal?"

"Angel, Lester and I are on Stark Street. Hector and Sanchez were involved in a gang fight with lethal consequences. Hector got arrested for murder and attacked Morelli after he was already cuffed. Les is mediating with the cops. You need to come to the station; it looks bad for Hector."

"Are our guys okay?"

"Sanchez has a gunshot wound to the shoulder and is getting packed up for transport to St. Francis. Hector is quite banged up and has some knife wounds, but nothing too serious from what I could see. He's in the second ambulance and gets patched up so the cops can take him to the station."

"I'll send Bobby to St. Francis. You stay with Sanchez; let Les follow Hector to the cop shop. A team with Manny as leader will take over the investigation at the scene. I'll call the lawyers, grab Tank and come to the station."

"Roger that." Steph heard Cal hang up and pulled the cell phone back to her ear.

"Carlos, we have a situation here. I'm sorry I have to cut this short. Try to rest some and think of something positive and I will call you when I'm back, okay?"

"What situation?"

Blowing out a deep breath, Steph weighed her options and decided to lay out what she knew. "Sanchez and Hector got into the middle of a gang fight. Sanchez has a gunshot wound to the shoulder and Hector is banged up and arrested for murder. I don't have more details. Cal and Les are on the scene and as soon as we hang up I will call the lawyers and then Tank and I will drive to the station."

"Fuck! How could that happen? **I myself **will call the lawyers and then have Tank call me when you are on your way."

"No, Carlos. Per contract **I am** Rangeman's CEO, not you. It is my job to take care of the situation and look after the men and I'm going to do that. I don't know why you suddenly don't trust me anymore, or if it is just because you are in a pissy mood today, but right now it doesn't matter. I have a job to do; my men need me. I will call you as soon as I know more, promise." Steph waited for a reaction, but she didn't get one. When nothing but silence stretched between them, she sighed. "I call you later. Bye Darling. I love you."

As soon as Steph had hung up, she dialed the law firm representing Rangeman and talked to the senior partner, then she hurried over to Tank so he could call Manny and organize a crime scene team for him before they left.

~~~ooOoo~~~

When Tank and Steph stepped into the station, it was packed with cops, petty criminals and hos waiting to be dealt with. Robin had front desk duty and they walked over to her when none other than Joe Morelli came down the hall leading to the detention cells.

"Look who's gracing us with her presence, the Rangeman whore that slept her way to the top," Morelli sneered. "Took you long enough... This time nothing will help the thug working for you. He killed a man and then proceeded to attack me. I can't wait to testify in front of a judge."

Steph mustered him from head to toe, her eyes cold and uncaring. "Cautious detective, you are speaking with the CEO of the leading security company on the east coast and one of the major supporters of the Trenton Police Department. You want to watch your tone. We can't have you accused of defamation, can we? Once I've seen my employee and made sure he is alright, I will talk to Chief Juniak about Rangeman's involvement in the investigation of the case. You remember Chief Juniak, my godfather, dad's poker buddy at the Legion, your superior?"

Tank watched as Morelli's face turned beet red and the vein at his neck bulged. "Yep, Little Girl, I would say he remembers."

"You've become nothing but a whore, Plum," Morelli spit out. "I wonder why they all have the hots for you. After all I know you are the most boring woman I've ever had in bed. But I guess for filling up your holes in a foursome you are good enough."

Suddenly Carl Costanza and Big Dog flanked Morelli and took him by the arms. "Enough, Joe. You don't want to say something you will regret."

Ten minutes later Steph, Tank and the attorneys had talked to the Captain of the homicide department and were shown into an interrogation room where they waited for Hector. It was a preferential treatment, but Rangeman had done enough good for the TPD to warrant that. The moment Hector was brought in still in cuffs, Steph jumped out of her chair and rushed to him.

"Take those off," she demanded from the young cop, pointing at the handcuffs.

"Ma'am, I'm not sure-"

"Take them off or the two of us will walk right back to the Captain and I won't make it pleasant for you."

The door opened and the Captain himself stepped into the room.

"Is there a problem, Miss Plum?"

"I want the cuffs off my employee. He poses no threat to us and I promise he won't try to run or lose his temper."

When the chief nodded, Steph looked pointedly at the young cop in front of her and watched as he finally released Hector from his confines.

"Thank you, Captain."

"I will leave you alone now," the man in his sixties said and walked out of the room.

"Hector," Steph whispered and cupped his face with her hands, gently stroking the bruises already blooming and placing a soft kiss on each as if they had a magical healing power. "I have been so worried. Are you okay? You don't look okay."

"That Morelli," he pressed through clenched teeth. "I will kill him."

"No, you won't. You will do everything to stay in control because I need you at Rangeman but most of all I need you as my friend." Stephanie wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him close.

Slowly, Hector's arms came around Steph's back and he pulled her tight against his chest till he felt her sag into him. "Mi Angelita. I will stay with you, but he is a … cabrón … a perdedor. He needs to be taught a lesson." (An asshole… a loser)

"Okay, but we will be smart about it. Now let's sit down so you can tell us what happened."

* * *

_**So Ranger has a shit day, struggles with his prostheses and in addition gets told off by Steph. Writing that felt tough, but Steph has to stand up for herself if she wants to be taken seriously. She doesn't have to fear anything with the standard crew of Rangeman Trenton, those men are her friends and confidants, but all the newbies and the guys from Boston, Atlanta and Miami have to learn not to question her commands and role as CEO. We'll have to see how that works out. Now let us blow the 730 review mark to smithereens :)**_


	30. Chapter 30

_**Yaayyyyyy ... so many wonderful reviews - thank you so much. You made my world rock.**_

_**This chapter is about Hector. There was so much to say, that I had to cut it short and will pick the tale up in the next chapter. Special thanks go to WizardsWoman and Rainbow Severus for their support, bouncing and proofreading.**_

_**Disclaimer: The characters you recognize from the books belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 30**

**Interrogation room, Trenton Police Station**

Steph glanced over at the two tall dark haired men in the expensive looking three piece suits and nodded for them and Tank to take a seat. They were both built and carried themselves in a way that was the result of years in the service. It was comforting to know that Rangeman's lawyers were ex-military and would fight tooth and nail for them. For the men it was easier to believe in a brother than in some civilian who didn't understand how their minds worked.

Taking Hector's hand in hers, she tugged him over to the table. "Come on Hec, take a seat and tell us exactly what happened."

Reluctantly, Hector sat down and took a big gulp out of the bottle of water that Steph had brought him. Once finished with the water, Hector took Steph's hand and started to recount the happenings.

"I arranged a meeting with some of del Torro's enforcers who are higher up in the food chain and told Sanchez to stay in the car around the corner out of sight. I don't know for sure, but the dumb ass must have gotten out anyway… _Tonto! _Idiot! … Anyway some gangbangers grabbed him and brought him to where I was discussing guns with the Latin Kings. The enforcers were pissed that I brought someone since it was against the agreement and suddenly we were in the middle of a fight. I had four men with knives on me when I heard a shot and saw that Sanchez had went to the ground. The shooter then pointed his gun point blank at Sanchez' head and I had to act. I dove to the ground, shot him in the back to save Sanchez life and the situation escalated. Suddenly the police was everywhere and I was pushed to the ground and cuffed. When they finally pulled me up, Morelli was standing in front of me and he was saying things… things about you, Angelita… I couldn't let him get away with that so I tackled him with my hands cuffed behind my back and we both went down. He was fast, but not fast enough for me to not get some good kicks in. I don't regret doing that. He deserved it and so much more."

Steph looked at their hands intertwined and squeezed his. "Hector, I love you for defending my honor, but you can't say that in front of the detectives or the judge. No matter how honorable your intentions were, they frown about things like assaulting an officer."

The rage rolling off Hector was palpable. "I won't allow him to talk about you like that… ever. He called you names, insulted you and..." Hector shook his head. "He has to pay for that."

Steph smiled to herself at the thought of Joe getting what he deserved. Thinking about it, Hector had always been her defender and self-appointed guardian; never backing down when it came to her. She wasn't sure why she held such a special place in his heart, but she would always be thankful for that. He surely was a very special man and a very good friend.

Clearing his throat, one of the attorneys brought the attention to himself. "Hector, the shooting is a case of defense of a third party, but it's going to be up to us to prove it. Do you know whether there were any witnesses? Because the Latin Kings won't be of any help. They will seek for revenge."

"I'm not sure. There might have been a woman watching everything, but I was too busy with keeping control over the fight that I didn't have time to focus on her. I think I've seen her before. If I remember right she was small, of slim build with dark hair, Latina, and she was wearing blue jeans and a red shirt."

Tank pulled the cell phone from the clip at his cargoes and was already dialing. "Manny and his guys will find her."

"Let's hope they'll get her. With that woman as witness it should be no problem to fight off your case of murder," the second lawyer said. "But the assault of an officer is another thing. Did by chance anybody hear what detective Morelli said to you? We could argue that his taunt and defamation forced you to act, but for that we need a witness who heard everything. Defamation of character and conduct unbecoming an officer should take the detective down a peg or two."

"What is it, Hector?" Steph asked as she watched the man in front of her scrunch his brow.

"Angelita, I think I remember the face of the woman watching. If you can give me paper, I can draw a sketch of what the woman looked like."

One of the attorneys quickly handed him a sheet of paper and a pencil and Hector got to work. When he handed Steph a drawing of a woman with long dark hair and drawn face with tired eyes, Steph couldn't believe what she was holding in her hands.

Spellbound by the picture she finally looked up. "Hector where did you learn to draw like this?"

"I may have grown up poor but my mother wanted us to engage the creative side of our minds. I enjoyed drawing and kept up with it, stealing books about it whenever I saw them. Someday I will show you the pictures I have drawn of you over the years."

"Stephanie, Tank," one of the attorneys spoke up. "We need witnesses for both the shooting and the assault of officer Morelli as fast as possible. That's our best chance to clear this without causing a stir. We will try to get an immediate hearing for bond determination so that Hector will be released today. Rangeman will pay the bond?"

Steph smiled encouragingly at Hector. "Of course, no matter the price. Get him out of here. I don't want him spending the night in a cell, that's unacceptable."

"Of course." The two lawyers spoke quietly with each other and then one of them stood up. "I'll find the district attorney and see whether we can arrange for an immediate arraignment. Hector, my colleague will stay with you during the interrogation. I know it's hard, but try to keep a lid on your temper."

Squeezing Hector's hand a last time, Steph stood up, too. "Alright. I will visit with Chief Juniak now and arrange Rangeman's involvement in the investigations. Tank, can you drive over to St. Francis and check on Sanchez? Since Bobby hasn't called I don't expect any complications, but I want one of us there anyway. We need to hear Sanchez version of events, too, and if possible before the police can get to him. You and Bobby try to spring him if possible; otherwise Lester shall organize guard duty for his room."

"Copy that, Little Girl," Tank said and was out of the door before Steph could do as much as blink.

"Hector, I will leave you now to go talk to the Chief, but I'm here when you need me. I will come down after I'm finished and wait for you. The Captain agreed to let somebody other than Morelli interrogate you so you don't have to face him again. We need you cool and in control now, understood?"

When Hector nodded, albeit reluctantly, Steph went around the table, dropped down on his lap and pulled him in a tight hug. "You can do it. I believe in you." Before removing herself from his lap she placed a gentle kiss on his teardrop tattoos.

~~~ooOoo~~~

Ten minutes later, Steph stood in Chief Juniak's outer office and talked to Gladys, the secretary and personal assistant of the Chief. Gladys was a good woman, in her fifties just as Juniak himself, discreet and loyal. There was a rule that every newbie in the force learned the first day they started to work in Trenton: If you wanted something from the Chief, you had to go to Gladys first and convince her that it was in fact important and if she approved you had a tiny chance to meet the Chief in person. Gladys knew Steph since she was a baby and Juniak as her godfather had proudly introduced little Stephanie to her. Ever since then Steph was always welcome in her office, whether she wanted to see her 'Uncle John' or not, and Steph made sure she made time whenever possible.

Smiling at the Styrofoam cup of Starbucks', the older lady looked up at her. "Steph, my dear, you are too good to me. Every time you're coming to visit you bring my favorite coffee."

"That's the least I can do for all the times you listened when I needed an ear," Steph smiled at her. "I hope it hasn't gone completely cold. I was held up in a meeting with one of my employees who got arrested and our attorneys before I came up here."

Gladys took a small sip and winked at her. "Lukewarm, just the way I like it… Tell me what happened. I already heard that Morelli brought in a Rangeman and is singing the Hallelujah chorus that he finally got his hands on one of them."

"Prick!" The growl coming from Stephanie caused Gladys to raise both eyebrows in surprise. "I don't want to get into detail about what happened since it is a pending investigation, Gladys, but from what my employee told me it was defense of a third party."

"He assaulted Morelli?"

"Yes, after that prick taunted him by insulting me most shamefully."

Gladys shook her head and heaved a sad sigh. "I thought Morelli had the ability to overcome his heritage, there was so much potential, but I watch him and all I see are the old Morelli genes pressing more and more to the surface. Be glad you cut cords with him while you still could."

"I am, Gladys, I am. He got verbally abusive when I met him downstairs earlier, but I don't have it on tape. Otherwise I would charge him with defamation."

"Weren't there any witnesses?"

Steph was about to answer when the door to Juniak's office opened and the man himself stood in the door frame waiting to be greeted.

"Uncle John," Steph rushed over to him and hugged him tight. "It's so good to see you though I wished it was under different circumstances."

"I already heard, sweetheart. Come on, let's sit down and perhaps Gladys can make us some of her special, sinfully good coffee she stashes in her desk for no one to see," he said smiling mischievously at his secretary.

Steph was sure he wasn't supposed to know about that secret coffee stash.

"Okay Steph, what I've heard so far is that one of your men killed another man by shooting him in the back. Then once he was cuffed he attacked Joe Morelli and got in some good hits. That doesn't look good. I'm not sure how I can help you."

"The shooting was defense of a third party and the assault was the result of Morelli insulting me and taunting my man to react. Now our only problem is that we have to give proof of that and that's where you come into play. Morelli is prejudiced. His sole focus is on getting back at me via my employee. I don't expect an honest investigation from him. That's why I want Rangeman to be a fixed part of the investigations. I already have a team on site canvassing the neighborhood, but I want our invention to be official, personally signed by you, so that Morelli has no chance to accuse us of interference of a police investigation."

"That's a serious allegation when you say that you don't expect an honest investigation from Morelli, Steph. Are you sure about what you're saying?"

"I am, as sad as that makes me. When Tank and I came here earlier we met Morelli at the front desk and he got verbally abusive, insulting me, accusing me of being a whore, fucking all my men and that the only thing I'm good for is getting all my holes filled up in a gangbang. Are you calling that an objective attitude?"

John Juniak leaned back in his armchair and sighed. "Of course not. Were there any witnesses?"

"I don't have it on tape, but Tank heard everything. I'm not sure about Robin; she had front desk duty, but Carl Costanza and Big Dog must have heard at least parts because they stepped in and took care that Morelli said no more and left us alone. Before you say anything else, I don't want to force Robin, Carl or Big Dog to testify against their colleague. Morelli is an ass and they would have to continue to work with him. I don't want him to make their lives hell on earth."

"This has to stop, Stephanie. You have to stand up for yourself and if that means you have to press charges against Morelli and some of his colleagues have to testify against him then that's okay. You can't let yourself be pushed around just because you don't want to make anyone else uncomfortable. You don't deserve that plus it doesn't fit your image as Rangeman's CEO that you have in public. The same bite you show defending your employees I want to see you using to defend yourself."

"You are probably right, but right now my focus is on Hector Aguila. He's a good man, Uncle John, who left his gangbanger past behind and has become an inherent part of the Rangeman family. If he says it was defense of a third party I believe him. Give us the chance to find the evidence to prove it and let Rangeman be part of the investigations."

Meanwhile Gladys had brought the coffee and Juniak poured Steph and himself a cup. Sipping at the hot caffeinated beverage, he eventually put the cup down on the small coffee table between them and studied Steph's face.

"It's not as easy as you might think, sweetheart. I would love to help you but as a fact Rangeman is involved in this mess. I can't let you investigate in a case where the defendant represents the company. That's a conflict of interest."

"I get that, I really do. Then for all it's worth put my men on oath. They will willingly comply. I can even organize that they will live in a safe house during the investigation without contact to Rangeman. Or if that isn't enough I can pull in an investigation team from Boston, Atlanta or Miami. They'd be as objective as possible. Fact is your lead detective is biased and Rangeman's involvement would help to balance the bias."

"Tell you what? I will call the TPD's attorneys and discuss the matter with them and come back to you as soon as I have word. Can you live with that?"

Steph stood up and walked around the coffee table to hug her godfather. "It's not what I have hoped for, Uncle John, but it's better than an instant no."

Pressing a chaste kiss on his cheek, she said goodbye and was on her way back down to the homicide department. There was so much to do.

On her way down Steph worked on her mental list: first she had to take care of Hector. That was her top priority. Then she needed to talk to Sanchez to get his recount of the events. Afterwards, the core team had to discuss consequences should Sanchez really have fucked up. And last but not least there was Ranger. She had to call him back; it was important for their relationship. No matter the mood he was in, they had to talk.

* * *

_**Will Juniak help or not - that's the question. Can Manny and his team find the necessary witnesses? And what about Sanchez? Stay tuned for the next chapter and until then please leave a quick review. I love them so much. :)**_


	31. Chapter 31

**Hey Babes, as some of you maybe noticed I got sidetracked by a one-shot that I just had to write. I hope you didn't think I would abandon second chance - never - but I have to admit the longer the story gets, the harder it becomes to wrap up all those loose ends and keep the tension going. Writing the one-shot has helped me to get a bit of that excitement back that I always feel when I start a new story so I hope I can keep the chapters coming on a regular basis.**

**My heartfelt thanks for all the wonderful reviews I got for the past chapter, I hope I can thrill you again. Also special thanks go to WizardsWoman and Rainbow Severus for pushing and hugging me when necessary and giving my work the finishing touch.**

**In case you've forgotten what happened previously (I did!) I recommend to read chapter 29 and 30 again.**

**Disclaimer: The characters you recognize from the books belong to JE, the rest are mine.**

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 31**

**Trenton Police Station**

Steph had taken a seat in the hall leading to the homicide department and waited on word from the attorney sitting with Hector through the interrogation. Time was passing excruciatingly slow and she quickly got tired of counting the specks on the opposite wall. Her cell phoned went off with Tank's ringtone and she promptly picked it up from her belt and held it to her ear.

"Talk Tank."

"The bullet to Sanchez shoulder was a clean through and through. The doctors agreed to discharge him into Bobby's care; we are just waiting for the papers. Then we'll bring him back to Rangeman. Do you want Lester, Bobby and I to question him or do you want to be a part of it?"

"I want to be there, please."

"Ten-four. How's Hector?"

"They are still interrogating him."

"Do you want me to supersede you?"

"No, thank you Tank. I promised him I would wait for him and that's exactly what I will do. Try to keep the police from questioning Sanchez."

Half an hour later the older one of Rangeman's attorneys came walking down the hall in company of a tall blonde woman who looked like she didn't take any shit.

"Stephanie? This is District Attorney Tessa Roberts. Tessa? This is Stephanie Plum, Rangeman's acting CEO and Mr. Aguila's employer. Tessa agreed to an immediate arraignment of Hector and already talked with the responsible judge. We are here to check on the progress of the interrogation. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Go to Hector and don't worry about me. I won't relax until I have him with me and we are on our way home."

The lawyer nodded and begged the DA forward, following her down the hall to the homicide department. When they vanished through the double door, Steph sat back down on the bench and heaved a heavy sigh. Waiting has never been her strong suit, but right now time seemed to crawl at a snail pace and this feeling of helplessness was eating her alive.

~~~ooOoo~~~

An hour and a half later Stephanie was signing the papers for the $50,000 bond agreement for Hector, when Joe Morelli stepped around the corner, his face red and his jaw clenching.

"You!" He snarled when he saw Steph. "You damn skank! You worthless piece of shit!" He barreled forward, clenched his hands around Steph's throat and slammed her into the next wall. "You had to run up to Juniak and talk shit about me. I swear I'll work you over and then I'll wipe the floor with you, you whore! You embarrassed and ratted on me for the last time. I will make sure you will pay for it and none of your fuck buddies will be able to recognize you once I'm finished with you."

Steph was dangling against the wall, her feet in the air, her lips turning blue as she tried to breathe, all the while clawing at Morelli's hands around her neck and kicking out at him. Several police officers were trying to pull him off her. Suddenly, Morelli yelped and fell unconsciously to the floor.

"Oh my god, Steph," Eddie Gazzara shouted over the mayhem and hurried to her side where she had slumped to the ground, her hands around her neck frantically sucking in air. "Call an ambulance, now!" He hollered to no one specifically. "Steph, sweetie, look at me. You need to calm your breathing. In… and out… and in… and out." They breathed together and slowly Steph got control over the coughing and choking. "That's my girl," Eddie soothed her and watched as Morelli was cuffed and dragged off. "Carl told me what Morelli said to you earlier and he, Big Dog and Robin are all willing to testify. Now that scumbag assaulted you. That's enough, Steph. He has to be stopped. You have to stop him." He looked as his cousin continued to struggle with her breathing.

"Estephania! Estephania!" Hector's shouting drowned out everything. "Estephania! ¿Qué pasa contigo?"

When Steph lifted her head she could see Hector straining against the hold the two officers had on him. He was still cuffed, but that didn't keep him from struggling to get free. A sudden, forceful step back made the officers stumble and Hector pull out of their grip. In seconds he was kneeling on the other side of Steph, across from Eddie Gazarra.

"Estephania, mi angelita, what happened?"

Steph leaned her brow against his shoulder and kept her breathing slow and shallow. "Morelli attacked me."

The roar rising from Hector's throat was loud and inhuman. "¡Bastardo! I'll kill him!"

"No, Hec, stay with me, please. I need you here with me." Steph's voice was raw and strained, but she achieved what she wanted; she kept Hector from snapping in the middle of the police station.

Tank and Bobby arrived at the same time as the ambulance and both were throwing off barely controlled anger in spades.

"You okay, honey?" Bobby touched Hector's shoulder to make him move and knelt down next to Steph.

The paramedics got to work on her, taking her pulse and cautiously palpating her throat, while Eddie came back with a bottle of cold water.

"I'm fine," Steph rasped, wincing before she was caught in another fit of coughing. Once she had herself back under control she pushed the paramedic's hands away. "I'm fine. Just let me sit here for a while so I can get my breath back."

"Ma'am, we have to take you to the hospital so the doctors can evaluate your throat and breathing problems."

The glare Steph send him made the young and obviously new medic gulp and his partner laugh out loud. "Let it be, Marques," she told him. "This is Stephanie, one of our regulars. If she doesn't want to come, she won't. Bobby here can take care of her; he's a medic himself."

"But protocol…"

"Steph here has her own protocol. Now leave it alone."

Ten minutes later, Steph was finally able to stand up with just minor breathing problems and the paramedics were satisfied that she could hold her own and left the police station. She hadn't realized that her uncle had come down and was now stepping forward to engulf her in a hug.

"Irrespective of what you will do, charges will be pressed against Morelli for assault. I hope you will stand up for yourself and add to that the defamation you told me about earlier." He pressed a kiss to her brow and stepped away from her. "Tank?"

"Yes sir?"

"Make sure Steph gets home safe and that she takes it easy."

"Will do, sir."

Steph rolled her eyes and stepped next to a grim Hector. "Get these cuffs off," she turned to the officers standing behind him, leaving no doubt that she meant business. "I signed his paperwork. He's free to leave."

It took a while to convince the officer in charge that she would come back the next day to make her statement, but eventually they were on their way.

"Hey Tank, where are you going?" Steph demanded from the backseat where she sat together with a still seething Hector. Tank was definitely not driving to Rangeman.

"We are taking you home. You heard your uncle; you are going to take it easy today."

"Forget it, Tank. There's too much that has to be handled. I have my desk full of work, we have to talk to Sanchez—"

"Honey," Bobby turned around on the passenger seat and looked at her. "Please, you need a break. You were just assaulted. Les, Tank and I can take care of Sanchez and afterwards we come over to your place, have dinner and discuss the topic with you. Please?"

"Damn you," Steph said without any real heat. She was indeed tired, her throat felt sore and slightly swollen and a nap sounded just about right now that she thought about it.

Thirty minutes later Tank stopped in front of Stephanie's town house and Bobby got out of the SUV to help her inside.

"Promise me to stay in the building and not do anything stupid, okay?" Steph whispered into Hector's ear as she hugged him in the backseat. "We'll talk tomorrow and make plans. With a little luck, Manny and the guys will have found witnesses by then."

Hector nodded reluctantly and kissed Stephanie on her cheek. "¡Que duermas bien! I will behave for you." He vowed with his right hand over his heart.

~~~ooOoo~~~

Much to everybody's surprise, the Rangeman underground garage was filled with men in black when Tank turned the SUV down the ramp and stopped in his usual spot. Cheers and whoops erupted the moment Hector got out of the backseat and the guys streamed forward to congratulate him on his attack of Morelli. They didn't go as far as giving him a man hug, for that they had much to much respect for him and his deadliness, but they all made sure that he knew how much they appreciated his deed and that they had his back regarding both, the assault and murder charge.

"Enough," Tank finally called everyone to order. "Since you will hear about it sooner or later, here is the latest news. While Steph signed Hector's bond agreement, Morelli assaulted her, choking her badly. He was stunned by another officer and immediately taken into custody. Charges will be pressed. The boss is as good as can be expected and back home taking it easy for the rest of the day. I don't have to say that she's not a happy camper. Now everybody back to work. You aren't paid for standing around like fools."

Once the guys had vanished into the stairwell, Tank turned to Hector. "You want to take the rest of the day off or do you want to get to work?"

"No, I work. I promised Angelita to behave. Can't do that when I have time to think."

"Okay then," Tank clapped him on the shoulder and held tight when Hector wanted to step away. "We will find the witness and make sure she testifies for your benefit. Rangeman takes care of its own."

Hector nodded and then vanished through the door to the stairwell and was out of sight. He appreciated Tank's words, but his past had shown that he should better not rely on that. It would be the first time that someone would step up for him.

"Now what?" Lester asked, pumped with adrenaline and bouncing on his feet.

Growling, Tank pressed the button for the elevator. "How about a little chat with Sanchez?"

"Yeah, I'm all ready for that."

When Tank, Bobby and Lester stepped into the infirmary they were surprised to find Cal standing guard just inside the door and loud shouting coming from Sanchez' private room.

"Do you know how fed up I am with your shitty job?" The woman yelled. "Rangeman here, Rangeman there. What about me? Always those fucking odd hours. You are never home when I need you. Now you are injured. Do you really think this is how I imagined my future? I'm sick and tired of this shit. You either find another job with normal hours or I will file for divorce."

"Clarissa," the guys could hear Sanchez' tired voice.

"No. You have this one chance. Make your decision."

Lester, Bobby and Tank both stepped aside when Sanchez' wife came out of his room and strode past them with an icy glare. Looking after her and Cal who also left to accompany her out of the building, they all pressed their lips together when they turned at the same moment toward Sanchez' door. It was always hard to see a brother's marriage break up because of their jobs, but there was no time to waste. They needed to talk to him to hear his version of events. Slipping their blank faces on, the three men stepped into Sanchez' room and took up their post at the foot of his bed, intimidating the man who just wondered how worse it could get.

~~~ooOoo~~~

Steph groaned when she heard the faint ringing of her cell phone and swallowed just to realize that her throat was sore and swollen. Damn Morelli. Propping herself up on her elbows, she eyed the display of the cell and didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Babe. You sound sleepy. Did I wake you?"

"Carlos! What a surprise. Yes you woke me, but that's okay. I had enough of a snooze. It's nice to hear your voice, Darling. From where are you calling? What happened to your cell?"

"I'm calling from the phone in my room. My cell died earlier when I planted my ass on it, hard. I need you or Tank to send me a new one."

"No problem. How are you?"

"I'm fine. I want to apologize for my behavior this morning—"

"Darling, that's okay. We all have a bad day every now and then."

"No, please Babe, let me say what I want to say. I need to do this. I want to apologize for what I said to you earlier. That was completely wrong and you were right to put me in my place. It's true, I'm no longer Rangeman's CEO, that's your job, and I have no right to take over and act up. I also have no right to call your leadership style 'Barbie approach' when it is obviously working and I know it is because I talk to Tank, Les and Bobby from time to time and they all are smitten with your ways. They say that never before there has been such a friendly and peaceful atmosphere at Rangeman. You are rocking and I… I don't know… I was a little envious that obviously I'm no longer needed in Trenton."

"Carlos, that's not true. Of course you are needed here."

"No, I'm not Babe and that's okay. Really. I had therapy today and we talked about my behavior earlier on the phone and I can see now where it bothered me that suddenly I apparently am no longer needed, but then something changed. While we talked about it I realized that it's not necessary that I feel this way. We already established that I might choose a different way for my life in future and not come back to work so knowing that I have chosen a well-suited successor is the best thing that can happen to me and the company."

"Apology accepted, Darling. Now, if you don't mind, tell me about your shitty day. I want to be there for you to lean on on days like this."

"Ah well, I was pissed because I was constantly falling on my ass when I tried to walk with my stubbies. It went so well when we trained at the bars, but about two weeks ago I suddenly started to fall and eat dirt. I know I told you about it. It started small and got worse and worse and today I snapped. Especially since they lengthened the rods on my stubbies and it felt like I had to begin at zero again."

"You sound like you are more at peace with things now."

"Yeah, because the therapist organized for me to see an ear specialist and now we know why I struggle with my equilibrium. I have a chronic infection of the middle ear. He put some tubes into my ears and I'm on antibiotics and in a week things should be a lot better. I'm so glad, Babe. I thought that walking at the bars would be all I ever accomplish and that I would forever have to rely on the wheelchair, but it's just an ear infection."

Home at Trenton Steph smiled into the phone and was happy for her personal Batman. He took every failure hard and she knew he would be devastated if he didn't succeed at this.

"But now enough about me. How was your day, Babe? What's the word about Hector?"

"Hector is home at Haywood; we got him bonded out right away. Apparently Sanchez didn't follow Hector's command to stay in the car when he met with some Latin King enforcers and was overpowered by some stray gangbangers. When they brought him to the secret meeting the situation escalated. A shot was fired taking Sanchez down, then the shooter aimed for the head. Hector couldn't help but shoot the shooter in the back to save Sanchez' life. It was defense of a third party. Unfortunately, later on when Hector was handcuffed he attacked Morelli, dragged him to the ground and got some good kicks in. I don't need to tell you how that went over."

"No, I can imagine. I would have given everything to see it happen."

Steph could hear the smile in Ranger's voice and chuckled.

"It gets better," she said into the phone. "When Tank and I stepped into the police station we met Morelli and he insulted me badly. I thought to let it go, but then later when I was signing the papers for Hector, Morelli attacked and choked me. With that he went way overboard. I will press charges for assault and defamation and it will hopefully also help in Hector's assault case, because the only reason Hector snapped was because Morelli insulted me. Morelli can be glad if he doesn't lose his badge."

When the line stayed silent, Steph furrowed her brow. "Darling? You still there?"

"Yes Babe," Ranger answered through clenched teeth. "I don't see anything funny in this Babe. That asshat attacked you. Is there any damage to your throat? Did you see a doctor? Are you taken care of?"

"Carlos, please, breathe. Everything's alright. EMTs took care of me after it happened and Bobby was there, too. He and Tank brought me home afterwards and ordered me to rest which I did. I had a nice nap. It's hurts a little to swallow because my throat is slightly swollen but aside from that I'm okay. You don't need to worry."

"I wish I could be there to hold you in my arms and take care of you myself."

"I wish that, too," Steph whispered back.

Before they could get emotional, the doorbell rang downstairs and Steph looked at the clock.

"That's probably the guys. They wanted to bring dinner and discuss the outcome of their questioning of Sanchez with me."

For a moment Ranger wondered whether he should suggest something for Sanchez' punishment like having him fired for endangering a colleague, but he decided against it. That was his Babe's decision and he had sworn to himself to never interfere again. But then another thought crossed his mind.

"Will you let Bobby stay with you tonight?"

"Carlos, I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me."

"Please, Babe. For me. I won't be able to sleep otherwise. What if you wake up with breathing problems in the middle of the night and you are alone? Bobby would love to stay with you and I would feel better."

Damn, she didn't want him to miss out on his sleep because of her.

"Fine, I'm going to ask him. Satisfied?"

Ranger smiled as he unconsciously rubbed his right hand over his heart. "Very much, Babe."

Of course when Steph finally came down the stairs to open the door for the guys, Bobby was on the phone with none other than her man. Sticking her tongue out at the medic, with her favorite Italian hand gesture thrown in for good measure, she turned around and left a laughing Bobby behind. Good she loved Carlos, otherwise she would be pissed at him.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Heya you all out there, is this fast or is this fast? Seems as though the little one-shot has vamped up my writing spirit :)**_

_**Thank you so very much for your wonderful reviews for the past chapter, they were like a continous belly rub (and I LOVE belly rubs). And before I forget it, a heartfelt hug goes to WizardsWoman for proofreading this chapter.**_

_**Disclaimer: I wish I would make money, but I don't. The characters belong to Janet Evanovich.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 32**

**Rangeman, Steph's office, early the next morning**

"Don't take this as doubt or criticism, but are you sure that's what you want to do?" Ranger's voice sounded out over the speaker. He wanted and would support his Babe, but what she had come up with overnight would be a big change for Rangeman and he wasn't sure how Tank, Lester and Bobby would welcome her idea.

Steph did a 360 in her leather swivel chair and sighed. "No, I'm not. I have doubts whether this is really appropriate or whether it is just my soft heart speaking."

"Your soft heart is part of what makes you so successful in dealing with the men, Babe. Bobby says the atmosphere has changed dramatically in the past three months. The men are more relaxed without missing their alertness; they are no longer just silently working and minding their own business but take care of each other. The military wind that has blown at the office has changed toward something softer with more camaraderie."

"What would you do if you were me?"

On the other end of the line Steph could hear Ranger exhale. "You know the answer to that. If I'd still be in command, Sanchez would be fired, but I'm not you, Babe. You have to come to a decision that suits you and matches your leadership style. I know you love Hector and you are aware of the seriousness of Sanchez' actions so I trust you that you will do the right thing."

"You and your frigging smartness."

Through the speaker Steph could hear Ranger bark with laughter. "Not my fault they sold it in the double when it was my turn."

"Very funny, Mister."

A knock made Steph rivet her focus from the phone on the door.

"Enter."

The door opened and Tank, Lester and Bobby stepped into her office and with them the fragrances from their colognes.

"Mmmmmh." Steph sniffed the air. "My freshly showered and shaved partners just stepped into the room. Delicious."

"Careful, Babe. It's there way of trying to seduce you and woo you into their corners."

Steph could hear the smile in Ranger's voice. "Fat chance," she answered lightly. "I have to defend a reputation. They will have to come up with something smarter than that."

Meanwhile the guys had made themselves comfortable on the guest chairs and couch.

"Hey cousin, how is it shaking?" Lester asked lightheartedly.

"Good enough that I could give you a hard time when you'd be here."

"I take you at your word. Your mama and papa are so excited to see you next weekend and Tia Ella is going crazy trying to decide what culinary treasures she should bring you. You did good allowing them to come visit you."

"Yeah, family is important," Ranger said. "I just hope they won't hog me. It's not like I'm used to having them around."

"Don't worry, cousin. I will run interference when it becomes too much."

In the quiet that settled over the office, Steph quickly straightened her back and took over control. "Okay, guys. Let's talk about Sanchez' punishment."

Immediately the men all went into business mode.

"I thought about what you told me last night and read through the files with Hector's and Sanchez' statements again and I have to say that I'm of two minds about the situation. I see the infraction on Sanchez' side and I agree there needs to be some kind of punishment for endangering Hector and causing him to take the shot, but a part of me understands how it could happen and can hardly reproach him for it."

"He was told to stay in the car and he didn't, causing a manageable situation to escalate leading to the death of a man by the hand of his partner who now has to face a murder charge," Tank said and Stephanie could see that he had already passed judgement on Sanchez. "In my opinion there's no other way than to dismiss him immediately."

Bobby and Lester both nodded in agreement, surprising her. She thought they'd be a little more open for a different approach.

Sighing, Steph looked at them and thought about how to word her objection. "He tried to save his marriage. His wife's demand for a divorce didn't come as a surprise the other day; they are struggling for quite a while now. Looking at it from his perspective I see a man getting a phone call from his irate spouse obviously short of exploding. The cell connection is bad so he decides to step out of the car to hopefully placate her. It was wrong; no question, but if you listen to yourself wasn't it understandable? If you'd be in his shoes and you know you are on the brink of losing your wife, wouldn't you do everything possible to save your marriage? Especially if it was something as minor as leaving the car for a moment?"

"Beautiful," Lester spoke up, looking as though he'd like to stand up and pull her onto his lap. "I know you feel with him and you are right, the circumstances were hard and he had to make a speedy decision, but it was the wrong one. We can't let him get away with it. What kind of example would we set for the rest of the men?"

"But we are talking about Sanchez' here. He is one of our top men in the B-team, chosen to be promoted to the A team at the next chance. He's with Rangeman since six years and hasn't done anything wrong in that time. His performance has always been top notch, his behavior has been an example for the others; he's a good colleague and friend to his brothers. He fucked up, yes, but doesn't he deserve a second chance?"

Tank growled in frustration and rubbed his hands over his bald head and face while Bobby regarded Steph for a moment, his eyes kind and the small smile playing on his lips holding a hint of support.

"What do you have in mind, honey?" He asked.

"Yes, Babe, tell them what you came up with and guys listen to her. She really thought hard about it." Ranger said, almost forgotten on the phone.

"Okay Beautiful. Tell us; lay it all out. I promise we will listen and weigh it thoroughly."

"Alright." Steph straightened her back and took a deep breath. "As said it is out of question that Sanchez' made a big mistake and has to be punished, but I'd like to offer him two options. Option one, his employment is terminated effective immediately, but in recognition of the good job he has done over the past years he will get a positive reference letter from us. Going that route might save his marriage if that's what he wants. Option two, he will stay employed with Rangeman but has to accept two weeks of suspension without pay. After that will follow a month of monitor and cleaning duty before he will be allowed to go back into the field for a six months trial period. This probation will entail everything that every other newbie has to face to gain our trust including training with the core and A team, new hire pay rate and no bonuses for six months plus a very close monitoring by us. He will practically start from zero and go through all the stages; a second infraction would lead to his immediate dismissal. This way he would get punished, but we would also save us a very good employee."

The silence that followed made Steph squirm on her seat.

Eventually Bobby straightened in his chair and looked at his two friends and partners in the room. "I don't know how you think about it, but I like it."

"Pussy," Lester murmured under his breath.

"Excuse me? Steph had thought long and hard about it and I agree with her that Sanchez is a good man that has never done anything wrong before. We have changed so much here over the past three months why not changing our immediate-dismissal-policy. It could lead us to having even more loyal employees if we gave them second chances. I trust Steph to lead us the right way."

"Geez, don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm just yanking your chain."

Suddenly Tank's loud baritone filled the room. "Enough!" He looked around and nailed Bobby and Lester with warning stares. "Little Girl, I can see that you put a lot of thought into this, but I'm not happy. I like the way we've handled these things so far. You fuck up, you get fired, easy enough. Now, assumed that Sanchez decides for staying with us, it will mean more work for us. We'll have to monitor him closely and give him feedback once he's on probation. It would be a complete change of our modus operandi and sorry for saying that but in this case I would prefer the easy way out."

"He can still decide for the termination of his employment to save his marriage," Steph said. "All I'm saying is that losing him would be a real loss for the company and we should think about what we can do to punish him while keeping him on payroll."

For a moment Tank leaned back against the cushion of the couch and closes his eyes. When he finally rubbed his face, everybody knew he had come to a decision.

"Okay, this is what I say. I'm willing to do it your way, Little Girl, but I want the time of monitor and cleaning duty to get vamped up to two months. His misbehavior was serious so the punishment has to hurt. I think with two weeks suspension without pay, two months of monitor and cleaning duty and a six month probation with the agreed cuts we will clarify our position. Aside from that I want this to be an individual case, not the new MO. The men shouldn't think they can fuck up and rely on getting a second chance. I don't trust them to not take advantage of that."

Steph nodded that she could live with that. Bobby already had given his go so she looked at Lester for his decision.

"Go ahead, Beautiful, I'm in. We are changing so much, why not in this aspect, too. Nonetheless, I have to say that I agree with Tank on this matter. Our handling of Sanchez' case is an exception and every new infraction has to be discussed anew. I don't want to go as far as changing our general approach of these situations."

The smile on Steph's face lit up the whole room. "Thanks guys for your leap of faith. You don't know what that means to me."

"Proud of you Babe." Those four words coming from the cellphone's speaker on her desk made her smile even brighter.

"Hey Rangeman, what would you have done if you'd still be in command?" Bobby asked, although he knew the answer.

"IF I were still in charge, which I am not, Sanchez would have been fired immediately. But that doesn't mean that would have been the right thing to do. I can see where Steph is coming from. Where we would have chosen the easy way out, she takes the way of trial and tribulation with the chance to fail. There's no question who the braver one of us is."

The landline ringing brought Steph down from cloud nine where Ranger's words had put her.

"This is Rangeman Security, Stephanie Plum speaking. How may I be of service?"

"Steph, this is Uncle John speaking," John Juniak replied, smiling in face of Steph's courtesy. In Mañoso's times he had barely gotten a 'Yo' or 'Talk' as greeting. "Listen, I've talked to our attorneys and as I feared Rangeman can't become part of the TPDs investigations. But before you are too down I have a riddle for you which might show you a way how you could nonetheless find the witnesses you need. What is black and white, but truly neither? Think about it."

"Uuuh?" Steph looked at the phone with a frown, but the line was already dead.

"What's going on, Babe? Who was that?"

Tank, Bobby and Lester watched her curiously, too.

"That was uncle John. You know, John Juniak."

"And what did he want?" Ranger asked patiently, giving Steph time to digest whatever was said to her.

"He called to inform me that Rangeman isn't allowed to become part of the Police Department's investigation regarding Hector. And then he gave me a riddle that is supposed to show me a way how we can investigate nonetheless."

"What riddle, Babe?"

"What is black and white, but truly neither."

Looking up at the guys in the room, she saw Lester smiling at her and then Bobby and Tank started to grin, too.

"Great, the three stooges are amused. Apparently I'm the only one who doesn't get it." Steph's voice sounded cranky as she leaned back in her leather chair.

"Babe, think about it. What is black and white, but truly neither?"

"I don't get it!" Steph shouted, her hands flying in the air in frustration.

"Mix them, Babe. What do you have then?"

"Gray."

"And what is Rangeman famous for?"

Finally it clicked and a smile broke free on Steph's face. "For operating in a gray zone. We have our own codex; legally gray, morally right."

"There you go, Babe. Juniak isn't allowed to tell you to take matters in your own hands, but there's nothing wrong with giving you a riddle to solve."

"So what does that leave us with?" Stephanie looked at the faces of the men sitting across from her.

"That means we will do what we do best," Lester rubbed his hands together, grinning gleefully. "It's time we call Manny and come up with a game plan."

* * *

_**I haven't made a decision how to continue this, yet - would you like to hear more about Hector and the chase after the witness? Or would you like to jump forward in time and read a chapter about Ranger and the visit of his parents? Let me know what you think and I will make my decision then :)**_


	33. Chapter 33

_**Hey Babes alll around the world, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. Sometimes I think 'thank you' isn't enough, but I'm at a loss what else to say. You are wonderful people.**_

_**Regarding the Hector vs. Ranger discussion I decided to give you a peek into both men's day. That should make everybody happy :)**_

_**Disclaimer is the same as in all the previous chapters: I don't own them, I just play around with them.**_

* * *

**The second chance**

**Chapter 33**

**Five days later, Hector's apartment**

Hector lived in one of the studio apartments on four that came with a single big room including a kitchenette and an alcove for a queen-size bed. It was tidy, something one would never expect after seeing Hector's realm on two. While in his office and the adjourning rooms on the second floor spare parts, electronics, cords and other equipment hung and sat everywhere with apparently no real order, his apartment on four was the complete opposite and in a well-kept state.

Hector was sitting on a bar stool at the counter of his kitchenette and ate a self-made sandwich with peanut butter and olives. It was a habit adopted from Stephanie and he prayed nobody would ever find out. It would completely destroy his reputation. Not that anyone would dare to mess with him. The past five days the men in the building had steered clear of him and he knew why. He felt it. His vibes were as dangerous as they could get. Like a caged animal, his inner beast lurked just below the surface. Anger and the wish to take vengeance boiled in his veins and no matter how hard he worked out, how much he pummeled the punching bag, nothing helped to lessen the tension. Maybe sparing would make a difference but no one was willing to hit the mats with him. He couldn't blame them.

Finishing the sandwich off, Hector looked around the room and wondered what he could do. It was Saturday, he had the weekend off and it was driving him stir crazy. All he could think of was the charge against him and Morelli and no matter how hard he tried to distract himself, he always came back to those two trains of thought. If he could just get a grip on that. He had long made peace with his life and though he wouldn't want it he didn't fear dying, but the prospect of spending the rest of his life in jail pissed him off. The witnesses seemed to have vanished from earth. No matter which direction Manny and his men searched, they came up with nothing. There seemed to be no evidence that him shooting was defense of a third party. By now there was a reward out for any hint given to Rangeman, but nobody called. Frustrated, Hector smashed his hand on the countertop leaving a dent. In a weak moment he had thought of running. He knew Steph would forgive him, which was the only thing that counted, but he was no pussy. If it was his fate to end up in prison he would face that with the same pride and steely strength he'd faced everything else that had happened so far in his life. Morelli of course was a whole different topic. He needed to be taught a lesson and he could just hope that, should he go to prison, his brothers at Rangeman would pick up the slack. He would have done it himself, but he'd promised Stephanie to keep calm and behave. Damn promise.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to hold this promise if he didn't get something to do, Hector put the dishes into the dishwasher and left his apartment. In the stairwell he passed Hal who paled and swallowed when Hector looked at him. Wuss. Stepping onto the fifth floor he saw that the doors to both Tank's and Stephanie's offices were open. His Angelita would immediately see through him, so he decided for Tank.

"I need a favor," Hector growled when he finally stood in the doorframe to Tank's sanctum.

Tank looked up and assessed the situation. Hector was short of exploding, he could feel the vibes coming off him across the room. He had feared something like that would happen sooner or later.

"What favor?" He asked cautiously.

"I need something to do. I need to work. Give me anything that will occupy my mind. I will do something stupid if you don't give me something I can focus on."

Hector's glare left no doubt that he meant it.

"I'm sorry, Hector, but there is nothing to do around here. The guys on monitor duty are there as punishment so I can't switch you with one of them and you are in no shape or form to go into the field. That would be suicidal for Rangeman. Do you have anything to do in your office?"

Hector shook his head no. He had already taken inventory, twice, and was up-to-date with all his work. Miserable he stepped into the room and sat down on one of the guest chairs across from Tank.

"I can't do this anymore. I know it's just lunch, but I'm already close to breaking point. I NEED something to concentrate on, that keeps my head busy, or you will have to put me in one of the holding cells."

Regarding him for a moment, Tank eventually picked up his phone and dialed Steph's extension.

"Hey Little Girl, can you come to my office for a moment? … Thank you."

Across from him Hector glared. "If I wanted Steph involved I would have gone to her."

Tank narrowed his eyes as him knowing he didn't have much time. "She's the boss and in this function I have called her. She needs to know when one of her employees is unstable. You, show her the respect she deserves. Understand?" He pointed his finger at him.

"Hey Tank, what do you need?"

Both men straightened up in their seats as Stephanie stepped into the room.

"Hector?" She looked at her friend and immediately knew something was wrong. His shoulders were bunched tight, his fists were clenching and releasing and the dark, angry stare he was giving her would have made any other woman run the other way. "What's going on Hector? Tell me."

"He needs something to do to keep his mind busy, but I have nothing I could offer him. The in-house work is all allotted and he's too much of a danger to himself and others to let him go out in the field," Tank said in an even tone. He wanted to help, he just didn't know how on such short notice.

Steph took a seat in the other guest chair and regarded Hector for a moment. She had something in mind, but was pretty sure that his presence would scare the potential clients.

"I know what you can do if you want. I have two meetings this afternoon with two different daycare centers. They approached us independently from each other and asked whether there was a chance to come up with an inexpensive security solution that is suitable for a facility that tends to small children. Originally, I planned to talk to them alone and then send one of the guys on a working day so he could check what special demands come with the kids. Now, if you would accompany me, I'd have someone with me who knows our security systems better than anyone and can answer any technical questions that might occur. But aside from focusing on the task at hand you would have to school your features because with that scowl," she pointed at his face, "we will lose the clients before we can win them over."

Relieved, Hector took Steph's hands and squeezed them. "Thank you, Angelita. Thank you so much. I will make sure to be amicable. When do we leave?"

Steph took a quick look at her wristwatch. "Let's meet in thirty minutes in the garage, okay?"

"Si, boss. Gracias."

"You sure you know what you are doing?" Tank asked a little reserved. "The potential clients are women. I thought the plan was to send Hal next week."

"I know, but Hector needs my help. He feels caged; I know that feeling only too well."

~~~ooOoo~~~

Meanwhile in San Antonio Lester had brought Ranger's parents and Ella to the Adam's House Hotel where they decided for a small lunch then a nap before they would go to visit their son and nephew, respectively.

"Thank you, hijo, for warning us about our son's concerns. I will try not to hog him, but when I do promise me to pull me away and make me go," Ranger's mother held Lester's hands in hers and squeezed them. "When you told us about his injuries our hearts broke, but we accepted his wish and kept our distance and now he invited us to come see him. That's a small miracle and we thank you so much."

Lester gently wiped at the tears now running down his aunt's cheeks before hugging her soft plump body into his. "You're welcome tia Maria. Everything will turn out alright, you will see. Carlos has changed, you will not recognize him. And all for the better of course."

Maria Mañoso nodded and got a tissue to wipe her nose.

"Come on, querida," her husband, Ranger's father, put his arm lovingly around his wife. "Let's go to our room and take a nap. You barely slept last night because you worried so much. It's time that you calm down and rest some."

"How am I supposed to calm down and rest when in less than three hours we will meet our son who lost his legs on one of those damn government missions? I can't do that. Can't we drive over now? I need to see him."

"Hush, querida. You know we agreed to bring him coffee and flan and stay for an hour and that the afternoon would be the best time for that. Let us lie down now so we can recharge a bit."

"Ricardo is right, Maria," Ella said, hugging her sister and kissing her cheek. "Our visit later will surely be demanding. We should rest now while we still can."

It took them a little more persuasion and assurance from Lester, but finally they got Ranger's mother into the elevator and up to her and her husband's small suite.

"You okay, tia Ella?" Lester asked his aunt when they stood in front of the door to her room.

"Yes mi hijo, I'm more than okay," she lovingly stroked his cheeks. "And don't worry about later. I will help you handling Maria. She's just so happy to see Carlos again. You have to understand that."

"I do. I really do," Lester chanced a quick look at his watch. "Alright, I will meet you all in two hours down in the foyer. Time to check in with Carlos and see whether he is prepared."

He gave his aunt a last parting kiss and then walked down the floor to his own room.

Les put his bag on the end of the bed and fell backwards on the mattress. After a moment he fished his cell phone from his cargoes and pressed Ranger's speed dial. "Hey cuz, how are you?"

"Good. How are they? Are they okay?" Ranger sounded a tad bit stressed.

"If you mean your family, they are just fine. You mother is very anxious to see you, didn't sleep much last night because she worries about you. You should prepare yourself for a lot of tears on her side."

Ranger sighed and pinched his nose.

"I guess that was to be expected after we haven't seen each other for nearly a year and with what happened to me. What about my father?"

"What about him?"

"I don't know … is he angry, bitter, anything? I mean I have practically cut cord with my family and now I'm an invalid and come crawling back."

"You aren't crawling back. That would be something completely different. You are opening your heart and making a step toward them and they are beside themselves with happiness about that. You have nothing to worry about."

After a few more minutes of idle chitchat, something else that was new for Ranger, Lester hung up and closed his eyes. He was regularly talking to his cousin on the phone and had visited with him a couple times, but whenever he spoke to him he discovered something new that set him apart from his pre-mission self. Les admired him; for his unbreakable will to fight, his strength, his endurance and last but not least for the courage to show his human side. He knew a lot of that came from Beautiful and her never-ending love for him, but that wasn't all. His cousin was a fighter and a great man and as he had all his life, Lester looked up to him wishing he had his balls.

Two and a half hours later, Lester parked in a spot right across the entrance to the hospital building in which Ranger's room was located.

"Okay everybody. We are there. Put your smiles on and get out," he said cheerfully. Then he quickly got out of the driver's seat to hold the door for Ella who had been sitting in the backseat together with her churning sister.

"What is wrong, tia Maria? You are making a face as long as a fiddle?" He hugged Ranger's mother before giving her back in the arms of her husband.

"Just a bout of nerves," Ricardo Mañoso smiled lovingly down at his wife as he held her against his side. "That will fly away the moment she sees our Carlitos."

When they stood in front of their son's room a few minutes later, Maria could barely control the shaking of her body her nerves were so frazzled.

"Come on, querida," her husband squeezed her and pressed a loving kiss onto her straight black hair. "Knock at the door so we will finally see him."

Ranger's short and unreadable "Enter," didn't help at all, but she bravely took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hola mama," the man on the bed awaiting her said softly and she immediately recognized her son Carlos as he had looked at her many years ago before he became a hardened mercenary.

"Cariño." The word died in her throat and she swallowed hard as the tears started to fall.

"Wait mama. I want to greet you standing. I practiced it the whole day yesterday."

Ranger was wearing his stubbies and now slowly got up from the bed clutching his crutches. Slowly and focused on the floor he made the few yards over to where his mother was still standing just inside the door. When he saw he was finally in front of her, he looked up and couldn't help the single tear that sprang out of his eyes as he saw his mother's tearful face with her hand covering her mouth.

"Mama," Carlos almost whispered, not sure whether under that hand was a smile hidden or whether she was horrified.

Whatever doubts he had they dissipated as his mother made the last step towards him and engulfed him in a hug, sobbing hard.

"Hijo. Mi hijo. Te amo. I've missed you so much and I'm so happy that you allowed us to come visit you. Madre mia. I'm so happy, so unbelievably happy."

"Hold on to me mama when I hug you back because otherwise I will lose my balance."

"I've got you, cariño. You can lean on me."

With a sigh he didn't know he was holding, Ranger closed his arms around his mother, his crutches dangling from his hands, and hugged her back.

"Hijo pródigo." Ranger's father had stepped around his wife and son holding each other and now wrapped his arms around both of them. "After your last visit, when you told us you would cut cords to protect us, I thought we lost you. Then beginning this year came that phone call from your Estephania telling us about your injuries. Our world broke down and again we were told we couldn't hurry to your bedside. It was so hard on your mama and me. But now we are here and we will be by your side from now on. No more distance between us."

"I'm sorry papa," Carlos turned his face to his dad and found his eyes. "When I told you not to contact me anymore and that I wouldn't contact you either I was a different man. These last months have made me see things more clearly and I want you in my life if you will still have me."

His father cupped his face and wiped at the few tear streaks. "I look at the man in front of me and I see the son of old in his eyes. We love you, hijo, you will always be a part of our family. Now more than ever."

Ranger nodded and then squeezed his mother.

"Mama, you ready to let me go? I feel a bit wobbly on my legs."

"Of course, cariño. Let us help you."

Carlos put the crutches back on the floor, pushed back and was thankful when he felt his father's sure grip on his hips steadying him.

"Do you want to sit down?" His mother bustled around him and straightened the sheets on his bed.

"Yeah, I guess that would be a good idea. I'm still not completely stable on these prostheses." Ranger cautiously turned around and slowly walked the four yards back to his bed. Once he sat on the mattress he rubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath.

"Is it strenuous?" His mother asked him quietly, not sure what to do because her heart screamed for hugging him some more and never letting go.

"Yes mama, but just because I have to concentrate so much on my balance. It will get much better once my ear infection is gone."

He released the prostheses and took first the right, then the left off his stumps, massaging them thoroughly. When he looked up he caught his parents staring.

"Do you want to see them?" He nodded down at his legs.

His mother blushed red but his father shook his head yes. "If it doesn't bother you, hijo?"

"No, of course not. You can touch them, too. It doesn't hurt." And with well-practiced efficiency Carlos pushed the legs of his basketball shorts up so that his parents had unrestricted sight and access to his amputation stumps. When they both stepped forward, he saw Ella and Lester for the first time still standing in the open door to his room.

"Tia Ella," he smiled. "Sorry, I didn't want to neglect you."

"It's all good, sobrino," the kindhearted woman responded. "I will get my welcome hug when things have calmed down a little. It was so wonderful seeing you walking and standing under your own steam."

"And what about me and my welcome hug?" Les looked at his cousin with a pout on his face.

"Get close to me for a hug and I will show you my new upper body strength," Ranger growled with a hint of humor in his eyes.

A sob to his right side made him turn his head.

"What is it, mama?" He focused back on his mother who had started to cry after she had gently touched his right leg with the above knee amputation.

"Our damn government did this to you! If it wasn't for them you would be okay! I hate them!"

"Don't say that, mama. If it hadn't happened on this mission, something else would have happened like a car accident. Our fates are destined the moment we are born. You say that yourself. Let's not talk about the past, okay? Let me get into my wheelchair and we can tackle that Flan I can smell."

A few minutes later, they all sat around the small table in Ranger's room. Maria served the coffee they had brought from the hotel and Ella opened the container holding the flan she had made, with a chunk missing.

"Damn it. Who ate it?" Ella slowly turned around and nailed Lester with a stare who swallowed hard in response. "Lester Mateo Santos! You good for nothing rascal! Did you snack on my flan? With your fingers nonetheless?"

Lester looked back and forth between Ella, the flan in question and the other people in the room and you could see he was frantically searching for an excuse when he had the common sense to give a sheepish grin and then blush profusely. "I couldn't resist, Tia. I was hungry, it smelled so good and you were all busy with being touchy-feely. Your flan is the best around. It was … vital for life."

Ella knocked him in the head with the serving spoon and smiled. "You are such a goofball. Good we all love you so much."

"Speak for yourself," Ranger growled. "I barely tolerate him." His blank face was in place and everyone at the table sucked in a breath.

"Nah, cuz. You love me," Les batted his eyes at him.

"On uneven days," Ranger returned dryly, then the corner of his lips lifted up into a small smile.

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_**:) Please let me know what you think :)**_


	34. Chapter 34

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Hello everybody,

the last update was 12-05-15 and I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging for so long. I thought my muse would come back, but it didn't. I got a couple reviews asking me to continue this story and I will but not now and probably not anytime soon. I started writing January 2012 and have written for four years straight and now my batteries are empty. I need a break. My heartfelt thanks to everybody who has read this story so far. I will be back and I hope you will be with me once I return.

Have a wonderful spring and summer,

Yours MyMerryMen/Yvonne


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